Erving Goffman established the interaction order topic in an attempt to provide the explanation of the way to study face to face behavior and its importance. In my opinion, the elements of the theory are illustrated through language and interaction that people develop in the social world. The interactions fall into focused and unfocused interactions whereby the focused interactions involve the coordination of face to face interactions by two or more parties while the unfocused interactions include the interaction that incorporates co-present actors via body language and observations (Mondada 1980).
Goffman argues that the society should not overlook the unfocused interactions hence social interactions are inclusive of several types of behavior. Moreover, Goffman uses it to bring out five elements of unfocused interactions. Firstly, exchange serves as the principal element of interaction whereby people attempt to receive awards through performing various actions. Besides, through eye contact in unfocused interactions, people can read our social self and impression. Secondly, competition also forms part of the unfocused interactions where two or more individuals tend to target a goal which only one of them is bound to achieve. The competition happens when two people in communication have differing self-ideas and reflection.
Sociologists have both a positive and negative view of competition and bring up motivation as well as psychological conflicts respectively. Moreover, cooperation is also a major factor in both focused and unfocused interactions. Cooperation involves the togetherness required when performing group tasks. However, unfocused unlike focused interactions do not utilize cooperation to a great extent. Also, conflict also forms part of the unfocused interactions whereby in an attempt to express each other's self, conflict results. Human beings always have the tendency to try to conquer each other. Even though sometimes conflict helps to reinforce boundaries and act upon strengthening them, it can also lead to challenges on the forefront (Mondada 1989). Finally, coercion also forms part of every type of interaction whereby certain people compel each other to act in a certain way.
Works Cited
Mondada, Lorenza. "Emergent Focused Interactions In Public Places: A Systematic Analysis Of The Multimodal Achievement Of A Common Interactional Space." Journal Of Pragmatics 41.10 (2009): 1977-1997. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 June 2016.
