ABSTRACT
The person as ritualist appears to be a relatively careful person in Goffman’s descriptions—polite and concerned with making the conversation go smoothly and avoiding embarrassing situations. Successful self-presentation and impression management presuppose a minimum of loyalty and goodwill among those present, who are to stay in front of the stage and not sneak in behind the curtain. A student in an auditorium can also be a performer. Goffman gives an example of a student who nods diligently to indicate that he is interested and attentive. From the publication of Asylums, one can find traces of so-called labeling theory in Goffman, and he develops this mode of thinking further in Stigma. Labeling is a relationship-oriented explanation for deviation, a more genuine sociological explanation than finding deviation and problematic behavior to be expressions of stable and deep-seated personality traits. In time, Goffman became more concerned with the limitations of the dramaturgical perspective.
