Final answer:
Erving Goffman's theory presents the self as a social construct that is performed differently depending on the audience and situation, drawing heavily from the dramaturgy and the looking-glass self concepts.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Erving Goffman's theory on the Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, the self is a product of social interactions and is presented differently based on the situation and the audience. Incorporating aspects of dramaturgy, Goffman likened individuals to actors on a stage who engage in impression management to convey a desired image to others. This performance varies as the audience changes—how one behaves with family may differ from interactions with colleagues or strangers. Goffman's ideas were influenced by Charles Cooley's looking-glass self, which suggests that people form their self-image by imagining how they appear to others and interpreting others' reactions to them.