Greenhorns and Cowboys: Impression Management and the Rodeo

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

The Latigo Rodeo is held annually in upstate New York. The event is popular and attracts approximately 10,000 fans and 275 competitors. After the evening performances, the rodeo association hosts a party on the grounds. Many locals and visitors perceive the rodeo and especially its after-party as an opportunity to consume large quantities of alcohol. Fans and party participants temporarily adopt the wearing apparel, appearance, and mannerisms typically associated with the rodeo subculture. During the rodeo weekend, the "impostors" engage in various deviant and law breaking behaviors, which result in some local residents mistakenly perceiving that members of the rodeo community are the primary perpetrators of crime and deviant behavior. In this presentation, the author examines impression management (Goffman, 1959) by rodeo fans and party attendees and its effects on the social milieu of the town.

Author

• Sydney Anne Bender, American University