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When an individual enters the presence of others, they commonly seek to acquire information about him or to bring into play information about him already possessed. They will be interested in his general socio-economic status, his conception of self, his attitude toward them, his competence, his trust­ worthiness, etc. Although some of this information seems to be sought almost as an end in itself, there are usually quite prac­ tical reasons for acquiring it. Information about the individual helps to define the situation, enabling others to know in ad­ vance what he will expect of them and what they may expect of him. Informed in these ways, the others will know how best to act in order to call forth a desired response from him.
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The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959), by Erving Goffman