Playing a social role

    Who is the boss and who is the subordinate?


    Not so long ago I came across an interesting post on improv wiki . It described how stage actors can most effectively play a “high” and “low” social role. In short, the easiest way to make it clear to the viewer is who is the boss and who is the subordinate. I liked this list of recommendations, since in life we ​​often have to either play a role or reveal the game of others.

    I decided to make a partial translation of these recommendations. I tried to highlight the behaviors that came across to me more often than others in real life. However, I note once again that the definitions and recommendations below are intended for stage actors of small genres.

    The status of interlocutors


    Status is determined by the behavior of the interlocutors. The interlocutor, who is ready to adapt in everything to the other, the one who avoids responsibility, has a low status. He who, through his behavior, forces another to adapt to himself, has a high status. Status is played by one interlocutor for another at every moment of the conversation. In other words, the interlocutors convince each other of their status.

    The techniques of the game high [low] status

    1. When walking, expect others to give way [give way to everyone]
    2. When talking, look the other person in the eye [look away]
    3. Do not follow the interlocutor’s reaction to his own words [briefly cast a glance at the interlocutor’s eyes, guessing the positive reaction]
    4. Do not respond to the words of the interlocutor. Like Clint Eastwood: the interlocutor expects at least some reaction, but receives nothing
    5. Speak with complete sentences [speak with pauses, change sentences as you go, do not end sentences]
    6. To take a comfortable position, to take as much space as possible [to sit or stand in an uncomfortable position, try to let the interlocutor take as much space as possible, if the actor is tall, then you should tilt your head to make it clear that growth is not used “against” the interlocutor]
    7. Look at the other person from top to bottom. Sometimes it’s worth throwing your head a little to create the impression of an adult talking with a child [look at the person you are talking to from the bottom up, sometimes you need to tilt your head a little]
    8. Calmly talk about things that the interlocutor finds unpleasant or offensive [to juggle words when talking about something that can offend the interlocutor]
    9. Take a “vulnerable” pose: open your neck or torso [pose to “protect” your face, neck or torso]
    10. It is instructive to speak with confidence [screaming, as if intimidating the interlocutor. This claims a low status, since the screaming one is defending himself against possible resistance]
    11. Move calmly and smoothly [jerk, make useless movements]
    12. Do not hold hands to face [touch head or face]
    13. It is difficult to speak without simplifying your speech for the interlocutor. For example, to say “Ruler Joқ”, without giving the interlocutor an explanation of his words [explain his words, simplify the speech. For example, to say, “I have no abstract on linear algebra”]

    Behavior of a high status, as it were, says: "Do not come, I will bite!". Low status behavior - “don't bite, I’m not worth it.”

    Techniques for raising the status of the interlocutor

    1. Ask permission to do something
    2. Ask for an opinion about your work
    3. Ask for help or advice
    4. Give thanks for something
    5. Apologize for something
    6. Agree that the person you were talking to was right and you weren’t
    7. To agree with the judgment of the interlocutor, without requiring proof
    8. Contact the interlocutor on “You”, use the name and patronymic
    9. To belittle one’s merits in comparison with those of the interlocutor (“Your poppy beech is much whiter than mine”)
    10. To tell about his failure (“I was late for work today, but how I got there, I learned that I was fired anyway”)
    11. Depart, bow, make yourself lower in comparison with the interlocutor
    12. Play the other person in the game
    13. Wait for the interlocutor

    Note: If someone comes out of the hall, raise his status. Never lower his volunteer status.

    Methods of lowering the status of the interlocutor

    1. To criticize the work of the interlocutor
    2. Correct the interlocutor
    3. To approve or disapprove of something belonging to the interlocutor. For example, “You have 30 followers on Twitter. That is perfectly acceptable. ” Everything that puts you in the position of a judge lowers the status of the interlocutor
    4. Tell the interlocutor what to do
    5. Do not respond to words, especially questions of the interlocutor. For example, "Have you already committed your changes?" "Theme again hung up an absurd post."
    6. To answer each story of the interlocutor with a story in the style of "this is what." For example, that you had problems and more complicated, that you met a more eminent star, earned more money, achieved more, etc.
    7. Make you wait
    8. Speak with sarcasm
    9. Do not listen to the interlocutor
    10. To hit the interlocutor. To hit the interlocutor in front of his girlfriend, wife, children, especially lowers the status
    11. If the interlocutor is behind, do not wait for him, continue to move. It can be difficult to play, due to the limitations of the scene.
    12. Neglect the opinion of the interlocutor


    Methods of lowering the status boil down to ridicule the interlocutor. Enhancement techniques allow the other person to laugh at you, or allow both of you to laugh at something together.

    All life is a game


    Once again, I note that these techniques are designed to help actors quickly convey to the viewer who is in charge in the scene. However, it seems to me that these techniques are a very complete set of stereotypes.

    I hope this post will help the reader to recognize the game of the interlocutors. Or competently build your own.

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