What term describes the efforts of individuals to maintain a proper image and avoid embarrassment in public as defined by Erving Goffman?

The term that describes the efforts of individuals to maintain a proper image and avoid embarrassment in public, as defined by Erving Goffman, is face-work. This concept is central to Goffman’s analysis of social interactions and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a "face," or a favorable social identity, in the eyes of others. Face-work involves various strategies employed by individuals to manage their appearances and interactions so that they can navigate social situations without losing face or experiencing social embarrassment.

This process is deeply ingrained in everyday interactions, as individuals continuously adjust their behavior and presentation based on social expectations and the reactions of others. It underscores the idea that social interactions entail a performance aspect, where individuals engage in a sort of role-playing to ensure that their identity is presented positively.

In contrast, identity management refers to how individuals shape their self-concepts and present themselves across different situations, while socialization describes the lifelong process of learning from society and developing an understanding of social norms and values. Impression formation, on the other hand, deals with how people create an understanding of others based on observable cues. While these related concepts play a role in social interaction, face-work specifically highlights the intentional efforts to project a specific image and manage potential social pitfalls, making it