(2000) a prototype is defined as: an
organized set of knowledge that reflects the best example category of persons, objects or
events. (145) I would categorize this situation specifically a person prototype. Which
refers to the characteristics we associate with a given category of persons, such as nerds,
preppies, valley girls and in my case a business man. (Trenholm, Jenson, 145) When I
see a business man coming towards me, and asks me a question, I would answer because
my prototype of a business man would be: a respectful man with manners and it would be
safe to speak to him. " If a strangers appearance, eye contact, and overall demeanor
match our friendly prototype, we will be more likely to pursue a
conversation."(Trenholm and Jenson, 145)
Now if that someone who approached me was dirty, smelly and wearing torn
clothing I would stay away from him. The cognitive schema that would take play would
be stereotypes. Stereotypes is simply a set of beliefs about the probable behavior of
members of a particular group always behaves like other members.( Trenholm and
Jenson, 145) My cognitive stereotype of a person with torn clothing would be not
friendly, probably a bum or homeless person, that could be dangerous. It could be
completely wrong and it probably most of the times is, the funny thing that you realize is
that for all I know that man with the business suit could be dangerous. Whereas the guy
with torn clothing could be nice. Erving Goffman's dramaturgical perspective on
everyday interaction is relevant to this discussion, because Goffman talks about the
individual, how he sees himself, how he wants to be seen, and how he is seen. This
discussion covers exactly that topic, it shows us how we perceive an individual by his
looks and what he gives off, and what he does is how we see and figure out what kind of
person he is. "The expressiveness of the ...