How has identity been theorized as an effect of performance? Discuss with specific reference to gender.

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How has identity been theorized as an effect of performance? Discuss with specific reference to gender.

Performance as an explanation of the self or identity is an interactionist idea first put forward by Erving Goffman. Goffman has questioned the very concept of identity and the self, identity seems private, unique and natural to the individual it was these controversial ideas of first Goffman then Butler (in specific regards to gender), who challenged these instinctive human beliefs thus theorizing gender identity.

 Identity had always been seen as private to the individual and more of a psychological issue rather than a social one, Elliot defines the self as the “inner realm of personal thoughts, values striving, emotion and desires.” 2007, P, 30)

Other interactionist thinkers such as Mead and Cooley, believed that a person’s identity was a result of how others saw them, for example if an individual was told they were funny, by another person or persons, these ideas would subconsciously and some times consciously influence there own self identity and how they perceive themselves. Mead argued that role talking was essential for individuals to develop a sense of self, as we as humans can never experience ourselves, so feedback from other people is crucial. Cooley used the term ‘reflective self’ because our identity is in a way a mirror image of what others think of us. Goffman states that individuals go one step further in acting out these traits in a way to portray themselves in a certain light to their audience.

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For Goffman ‘performing’ social roles was meant in the literal sense, we as human beings incorporate our everyday lives in to a huge on stage performance, switching out status’ between front stage and back stage. According to Goffman the aim of our act is to create and control certain impressions that we chose to pass over to our audience, or family and friends. . Goffman believed that roles and acts of the individuals changed depended on who they were with, for example playing the role of daughter is totally different compared to playing in the role of a girlfriend or ...

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