How are Communication Technologies changing social groups and social situations?

A Social Situation

Frames (Erving Goffman and Joshua Meyrowitz)

• 'Frames' tell us what role to play- 'family' 'class' 'waiting for bus' 'restaurant' 'doctor's office' 'adults' 'speeding ticket'
• 'Roles'- different roles in different situations
• 'Props'- what we use in our role- helps set up roles- doctor's clipboard.
• ['Keying'- Negotiating which 'Frame' to use]

Foreground/Front Region-

• what goes on in shared public space waiters meet the clients

Backstage/Back Region-

• what goes on outside of the public observation
• where performer can discuss the role
• e.g., waiters discuss the people at table; parents their kids
• a 'backstage' can be another 'frame' with its back region.

"Initiation"-

• becoming part of a group, sharing its knowledge; trust- a ritual?
• what does it take to get access to special non-public, backstage knowledge
• 'Authority'- often depends on presumed backstage access.

'The disappearance of childhood?' (Joshua Meyrowitz reading) -

• Is the 'back region' disappearing? - media- "electronic media may create new social environments that reshapre behavior."
• Frame Confusion- how to keep backstage knowledge private- media just 'broadcasts'
• Decline of: Childhood, Gendered Realms, Political Figures-
• getting access to the world of adults, other gender, private lives of politicians.