Dramaturgical Dilemmas of the Shy Self

Abstract

The shy self is constituted not only by discourses, readings and representations but also by patterns of interaction and subjective experiences of being in the social world. Symbolic Interactionist theories of the self (Goffman 1959; Becker 1963; Strauss 1978) emphasise the agency of individuals as social actors, who draw upon their background knowledge of cultural norms and values to decide upon courses of action. The idea of role-making, as opposed to more passive role-taking, is central to this view of the self as skilled and knowledgeable, insofar as it suggests that individuals perform their identities consciously and strategically, in relation to others (McCall & Simmons 1966). Furthermore, this is not simply a matter of displaying a closed, bounded self; instead the roles must be presented to an audience, who attribute meaning to them and so help to define their social significance. As Blumer (1969) said, we communicate on the basis of symbolic gestures, whose meanings are interpreted collectively through interaction and are always open to revision. The various ways in which social actors display shyness and recognise themselves in such terms is therefore contingent upon perceptions of self, others, and definitions of the situation (Thomas 1923).