Final answer:
Goffman's distinctive approach to the study of social interaction is described as the dramaturgical approach because it likens interactions to actors performing on a stage. In this approach, individuals perform different roles depending on the situation, using impression management to present themselves as they hope to be perceived.
Step-by-step explanation:
Erving Goffman's approach to the study of social interaction, known as the dramaturgical approach, likens the way individuals interact with each other to the ways actors perform on a stage. Goffman believed that individuals are like actors, performing different roles depending on the situation and the people present. His theory of dramaturgy emphasizes the importance of impression management and the idea that each situation is like a new scene. People present themselves to others with the hope of being perceived in a certain way, much like actors on a stage.