Erving Goffman Theory

Erving Goffman

It is quite common through our daily interactions that we perform to our audience in specific regions and through these regions, aspects of ourselves are seen. As Erving Goffman explains, there are two regions in which we perform. The first is the front region which is where the performance is given. Often, our activities within this region embody certain standards; these include matters of politeness and decorum. Politeness is how the performer acts in visual or aural proximity but not necessarily in direct conversation.  It is through politeness and decorum that the individual maintains moral conduct that is socially accepted within society.

In contrast to the front region, there is another region in which we perform. This area is commonly referred to as the backstage or back region and it is here that we see an opposite response. The backstage or back region is where our suppressed feelings make an appearance. It is where we knowingly contradict the actions carried out in the front region. Basically, Goffman's theory provides an explanation on how we interact with one another in day to day life and how we develop a system to help express feelings that conflict with our front. These methods help guide us in face to face interaction. But how do we act when we communicate and interact, but are not face to face?

The Internet has led us to a situation where we are able to communicate and interact with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and countries, without ever seeing their faces. When analyzing Goffman's theory relative to Cyberspace communication, we see that the lines between the front stage and back stage are blurred. When we look at issues such as anonymity, flaming, and privacy on the Internet, we see Goffman's work modified in order to express the ideas of front and back region performance.