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Familiar strangers: facework strategies in pursuit of non-binding relationships in a workplace exercise group

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posted on 2023-06-08, 17:46 authored by Hilde Rossing, Susie ScottSusie Scott
This chapter reports on the interaction dynamics of a workplace exercise group for beginners. Dramaturgical stress occurred here as individuals who already knew each other as competent colleagues felt embarrassed about encountering one another in this low ability exercise group. To resolve this role conflict, participants sought to define themselves as familiar strangers (which they were not) through minimal interaction in non-binding relationships. This was achieved through three types of facework strategy: not only the defensive and protective kinds that Goffman identified as saving individual faces, but also collective strategies, which sought to repair the face of the whole group. Paradoxically, therefore, in attempting to deny their “groupness,” these actors actually displayed and reinforced their solidarity as a performance team.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Studies in Symbolic Interaction

ISSN

0163-2396

Publisher

Emerald Group

Volume

42

Page range

161-184

Department affiliated with

  • Sociology and Criminology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2014-07-03

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2014-07-03

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2014-07-03

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