Final answer:
Erving Goffman was interested in the gap between virtual social identity and role performance, elaborating this as part of his dramaturgy theory in social situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sociologist Erving Goffman was interested in the discrepancy between the idealized image of oneself, which he termed virtual social identity, and the actual role a person plays in various social contexts, known as role performance. This concept is an essential aspect of Goffman's dramaturgy theory.
In dramaturgical analysis, each social situation is likened to a new scene, where individuals adapt and perform roles based on the expectations of the audience present, akin to actors in a play. Goffman's theory was influenced by Charles Cooley's concept of the looking-glass self, wherein individuals form their identities based on how they think others perceive them and their reaction to this perception.