(H) 135-146 Goffman, The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life

The way people portray themselves to other people comes from the concept of first impressions. Humans have been trained to be seen proper and formal to others when meeting for the first time. We see first impressions as making or breaking future relationships. We take the meaning behind first impressions to create a persona that each person meets for the first time. We can learn to control how others come to react to us and establish a set understanding between the two. Reactions are what stops us from doing certain things or motivates us to continue in a certain path. As soon as a person establishes his presence and what he or she represents, the other person’s view of them is set on what they receive from their first impression. Society has created certain levels of power between people. A person of power does not simply meet someone new and present themselves as a laid back uncaring type of person. They take the opportunity of a first impression to establish their dominance and power of the other person. This creates a clear understanding of what is expected from them both. People tend to react in certain aspects to get a reaction out of the other person. For example, in a coffee shop, to establish a sense of welcome and acceptance, a worker might greet the person coming in with an enthusiastic hello and a warm smile. This gives positive feelings towards that person which in return, they give back positivity. People who now how to receive certain reactions from people tend to use their abilities to control the situation and end with the best results possible. Without the intent of creating a positive atmosphere most people wouldn’t bother in giving a good first impression. People who act in a well manner tend to stand out and receive positive reactions from others.