Chapter 4 Social Interaction in

Everyday Life

Social Interaction

• Social interaction is the process by which people act and react in relation to others.

• Human beings rely on social structure to make sense of everyday life

• Social structure guides human behavior rather than rigidly determining it.

Status

• Status is a social position that an individual occupies. Most important however is your status set.

• Status set consists of all the statuses a person holds at a given time

• For example, I am a teacher; I am also a:• Husband• Father

Types of Status• Ascribed status is a social position one

receives at birth or involuntarily assumes later in life

• The Queen of England is an ascribed status

• Achieved status is a social position that someone assumes voluntarily and that reflects personal ability and effort

• Becoming President of the US is an achieved status

• Often, these two types work together; what we are ascribed often helps us achieve other statuses

Types of Status

• A master status is a status that has special importance for social identity, often shaping a person’s entire life.

• A master status is one that overrides all other statuses.

Roles

• A role consists of behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status.

• Role set refers to a number of roles attached to a single status.

• For example, the role of mother has several role sets attached to it. Mothers are:

– Doctors– Chauffeurs– Appointment keepers– House keepers

Role Conflict and Role Strain

• Role conflict refers to conflict among roles corresponding to two or more different statuses.– For example, a police officer that goes home to find

their child using drugs. Conflict is being a parent vs. police officer

• Role strain refers to incompatibility among roles corresponding to a single status – For example, a teacher that tries to balance concern

for students with administrative tasks. Strain is managing the two areas that benefit both the student and administration.

Social Construction of Reality

• This is the process by which individuals creatively shape reality through social interaction with others.

• What people commonly call “street smarts” really amounts to constructing reality.

• Ethnomethodology is the study of how people make sense of their social encounters

Dramaturgical Analysis: Erving Goffman

• This examines social interactions as if individuals were actors on stage– Consists of the “front stage” and “back stage”

• Front stage is part of your performance you want people to see– Similar to cleaning your house before company

comes over• Back stage is part of your performance you

want to hide from others– Similar to when you don’t have a chance to clean

house before company comes over

The Presentation of Self

• Also associated with Goffman, this is the effort of an individual to create specific impressions in the minds of others

• Impression management is very important and includes things like dress, props, and manner of acting.– For example, when you go to the doctor, think about

what you expect to happen (greeted by staff, doctor enters room wearing white coat, etc.).

• The presentation of self is the central focus of the dramaturgical analysis

Interaction in Everyday Life: Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication is an important part of the presentation of self – Communication using body movements, gestures,

and facial expressions. – Most of it is culture-specific.

• Close attention to nonverbal communication is often an effective way of telling whether or not someone is telling the truth. – Body language can contradict verbal communication.

• Pay attention to four elements of performance: words, voice, body language, and facial expression.

Interaction in Everyday Life: Using Humor

• Humor provides a way to express an opinion without being serious; using humor relieves tension in uncomfortable situations.

• Humor is a great icebreaker and allows some sensitive topics to be discussed in a non-threatening way.

• For everyone, humor deals with topics that lend themselves to double meanings or controversy. – The dynamics of humor: “getting it.” To “get” humor,

the audience must understand the two realities involved well enough to appreciate their differences.