 Goffman does break from his connection with George Herbert Mead and Herbert <unk> in that while he does not reject the way in which individuals perceive themselves , he was more interested in the actual physical proximity or the “ interaction order ” that molds the self ( <unk> ) . In other words , Goffman believed that impression management can only be achieved if the audience is in sync with the individual ’ s perception of self . If the audience is in disagreement with the image an individual is presenting then the individual ’ s presentation of self is interrupted . Individuals present images of themselves based on how society thinks they should act in a particular situation . This decision on how to act is decided based on the concept of definition of the situation . The definition are all predetermined and individuals choose how they will act by choosing the proper behavior for the social situation they are in . Goffman draws from William Thomas for this concept as well . Thomas believed that people are born into a particular social class and so the definitions of the situations will encounter have been previously defined for them ( 480 ) . For instance when an individual from a high class background goes to a black tie affair the <unk> definition of situation would be that they must mind their <unk> and act according to their class . 
