SCMA*2040 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Shetland, Erving Goffman, Total Institution
Week 7: Grounded Approach
Goffman
Participant observations
-Access to the hidden world of the small communities in the Shetland Islands and
an American Psychiatric Facility
-Adopted a role that allowed him to enter each of these communities as a new
member, with relatively low status
-Stood beside his research subjects while they carried out their daily activities in
the particular social environment in which they lived as another that shared the
same frame of reference
-He did not disclose his true role and purpose as researcher
-Provided him with access to parts of these two social worlds that he may not
otherwise have seen
-Thus, his work on the presentations that individuals and collectivities exhibit to
others
-Frame Analysis
-Recognizing the circumstances that are the reference points for the activity
-Analyzes the conduct of individuals within the context of the particular
environments in which those individuals routinely exist
Goffman (asylums)
Total Institution
-A place that has so much purview over individual life that symbolic meanings are
shared
-The less powerful (disempowered)
-Individuals within institutions (organizations) present themselves to others who
are also inside the organization, and others that are outside the organization
Imp* Goffman (Presentation of Self)
-Black Stage Performances: Presentation to internal audience (within the internal
environment)
-Front Stage Performances: Presentation to an external audience
Front stage performances
-Highly visible
-Organizational presentation is determined by individuals with higher status within
the organization
-Meant to show consistency with the organizational presentation
-Lower status members are less committed to organizational rules
-Shown by a lack of commitment to the larger organizational presentation
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Access to the hidden world of the small communities in the shetland islands and an american psychiatric facility. Adopted a role that allowed him to enter each of these communities as a new member, with relatively low status. Stood beside his research subjects while they carried out their daily activities in the particular social environment in which they lived as another that shared the same frame of reference. He did not disclose his true role and purpose as researcher. Provided him with access to parts of these two social worlds that he may not otherwise have seen. Thus, his work on the presentations that individuals and collectivities exhibit to others. Recognizing the circumstances that are the reference points for the activity. Analyzes the conduct of individuals within the context of the particular environments in which those individuals routinely exist. A place that has so much purview over individual life that symbolic meanings are shared.
