Social Interaction and Everyday LifeSocial construction of everyday lifeStudying social interaction and everyday lifeLinking micro with macro

Social construction of everyday lifeSocial action (Weber): behavior that involves thought and is directed toward others; meaningful, intentional behavior

Social interaction: the process of acting and reacting in relation to others

Social structureunderlying regularities and patterns in behavior and relationshipsSocial status (position): social identity an individual has in a given society; position in relation to othersSocial role: socially defined expectations of an individual in a given status or position

Social construction of everyday life: definition of the situation

“Preliminary to any self-determined act of behavior there is always a stage of examination and deliberation which we may call the definition of the situation.” Thomas

Social construction of everyday life: definition of the situation

Social interaction involves active negotiation of the definition of the situation Therefore, social structure is a product of social construction

Studying social interaction and everyday life

Ethnomethodology

Ethnomethodology Theoretical approach developed by GarfinkelStudy of the folk or lay methods we use to make sense of what others are saying and doingBackground rules and knowledge are taken for grantedUse of demonstration (or breeching) experiment to reveal themConversation analysis

Nonverbal communicationBasic facial expressions are innate, universalGestures are culturally specificBody position also conveys meaningCivil inattention: avoiding eye contact to convey absence of aggression

Interaction in contextCompulsion of proximity: need to interact with others in “copresence”, face-to-faceSocial context shapes interaction

Is internet interaction the same?“Interactional vandalism”; if Mudrick is saying nice things why is it harassment? (89-92)

Studying social interaction and everyday life

Dramaturgical analysis

Dramaturgical analysisTheoretical approach developed by Erving Goffman“all the world’s a stage, and we are all actors upon it.”

Unfocused interactionMutual awareness of others in group or crowdNo direct verbal communicationNonverbal communication through body and gestures Involves civil inattention

Focused interactionDirect attention to others in the groupAn encounter is a case of focused interactionEncounters require openings to signal end of civil inattention: e.g., “ ’sup?”Encounters separated by markers, also known as brackets

Presentation of self in everyday lifeImpression management

Roles: socially defined expectations of a person in aStatus: social position

Status set Ascribed status Achieved status Master status

Front regions: formal rolesBack regions: relaxed, preparation for frontFace workFacebook?

Linking micro with macroMicro level of social structure: roles & statuses, groupsMiddle or meso level: organizations, subcultures, institutionsMacro level: society, culture, world system

Linking micro with macro

Self: roles & statuses

institutions

society