Impression in Everyday Life Discussion

1. Observe yourself over 5 minutes of social interaction. Your should aim to observe yourself in great detail.

2. Leave the interaction, and immediately (like over the next 15 minutes) take detailed notes on

• how you presented your line
• any face work you did in the interaction
• any face work you think you might have observed from the other person in the interaction.
• any corrective work done by anyone

If your interaction ended up nondescript, having basically none of the above, observe another interaction. 5 minutes is a brief time period, and it’s easy to find opportunities. Getting coffee at Starbuck’s, for example, is an ideal opportunity.

Aim for at least 1 solid page of single-spaced notes. I know, this sounds like an awful lot for just 5 minutes of interaction, but try to get this much. It depends on the detail you use. I think you can do it. When you look for the interactional detail, it’s there. Reaching for this level of detail will make you a much more sensitive observer.

3. Write a discussion post about how we do impression management in everyday life. Analyze data from your 5 minute observation; use Newman’s chapter on “Supporting Identity: The Presentation of Self” (Turner & Stets could be useful too; use as desired) to support your analysis.