Final answer:
Erving Goffman's early work focuses on individual social performances, whereas his later studies shift to exploring how societal expectations and cultural scripts influence the self. His concept of dramaturgy describes this performance of self as managed through interaction with others, building on Cooley's looking-glass self idea.
Step-by-step explanation:
There is a noticeable shift in Goffman's work from the early studies that focus on the individual's role and performance within social interactions, to the later studies that focus on how societal expectations and cultural scripts influence and constrain the self. Goffman introduced the concept of dramaturgy, or the presentation of self, which suggests that we conduct impression management to present ourselves in a certain way to others, much like actors on a stage. Over time, his work expanded to include how the symbols and cultural norms present in society play a role in developing these social scripts that we follow, often improvising as we go along based on situations and expectations.
Goffman's dramaturgy is based on the idea that our social interactions are performances and that these performances are influenced by how we think others see us, which he further developed from Charles Cooley's concept of the looking-glass self. This shift in Goffman's work indicates a progression from focusing on the micro-level interactions to understanding the wider sociological frameworks that shape these interactions. Following this trajectory, Goffman's later works, such as 'Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates', examine how institutions shape individuals' actions and roles within them.