What is it in simple terms?

A quick look at a stranger, then looking away to say 'I see you but won't intrude'.

How is it different from ignoring?

It acknowledges the person before respecting their privacy.

Civil Inattention

👥 Sociology By CampusDown Wiki Editorial Team Last updated October 27, 2026 Views 5

Civil inattention is Erving Goffman's term for the public interaction rule of giving a stranger a brief glance that acknowledges their presence, then looking away to show no special curiosity or hostility.

Contents

1. Goffman's definition
2. Cities and strangers
3. Evidence
4. FAQ
5. References

Goffman's definition

Goffman (1963) described a brief glance followed by withdrawal, between staring and treating someone as a non-person, extending his dramaturgy.

Cities and strangers

Unlike Simmel's (1903) blasé attitude, Goffman saw respect; Lofland (1973, 1998) showed how such rules order public space, linked to Chicago School urbanism.

Evidence

Zuckerman and colleagues (1983) confirmed it in elevators; Hirschauer (2005) analysed it as active practice. Phones now serve as new inattention displays.

FAQ

What is it in simple terms?: A quick look at a stranger, then looking away to say 'I see you but won't intrude'.
How is it different from ignoring?: It acknowledges the person before respecting their privacy.

Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26

References

Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in public places: Notes on the social organization of gatherings. Free Press. The original definition.
Goffman, E. (1971). Relations in public: Microstudies of the public order. Basic Books. Public order rules.
Simmel, G. (1950). The metropolis and mental life. In K. H. Wolff (Ed.), The sociology of Georg Simmel (pp. 409–424). Free Press. (Original work published 1903) Blasé attitude precursor.
Lofland, L. H. (1973). A world of strangers: Order and action in urban public space. Basic Books. Urban strangers.
Lofland, L. H. (1998). The public realm: Exploring the city's quintessential social territory. Aldine de Gruyter. The public realm.
Zuckerman, M., Miserandino, M., & Bernieri, F. (1983). Civil inattention exists—in elevators. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 9(4), 578–586. Elevator evidence.
Hirschauer, S. (2005). On doing being a stranger: The practical constitution of civil inattention. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 35(1), 41–67. Practices of strangerhood.

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This article was last updated on October 27, 2026. It is based on widely recognized original works and textbooks; when citing it in a paper, please check the original sources listed in the references.