Strategic Interaction

by Erving Goffman

Book Overview

The two essays in this classic work by sociologist Erving Goffman deal with the calculative, gamelike aspects of human interaction. Goffman examines the strategy of words and deeds; he uses the term "strategic interaction" to describe gamelike events in which an individual's situation is fully dependent on the move of one's opponent and in which both players know this and have the wit to use this awareness for advantage. Goffman aims to show that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812210115
• ISBN13: 9780812210118
• Release Date: January 1969
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The great poet of the sociology of everyday life

This book consists in two essays, one on "Expression Games:An Analysis of Doubts at Play" which deals with interpreting the intentions of the other when one cannot completely rely on their observable behavior. The second ' Strategic Interaction," centers on interpreting behavior in situations in which each player's action has effect on the other. Goffman here stresses how important the assessments we make of the behavior of others are in influencing our action. He places great emphasis on our assessment of real intention and action in the 'other' for our own behavior. Goffman is the great poet of the sociology of everyday life. He helps us see things about ourselves and our actions, which become obvious when we are told about them, but which we never really thought of ourselves.