Erwin Goffman's book "Behavior in Public Places" is a sociological study of the mechanisms underlying the social and moral norms that people follow in the course of everyday interactions. Turning to examples from his studies of psychiatric hospitals and Shetland residents, etiquette guides, newspaper columns, fiction, memoirs and personal experiences, Goffman shows that people's social behaviour is a situational activity that takes place in gatherings (groups of jointly present participants) and involves managing their involvement in what is happening. The book is a classic work in the field of interactive sociology, which has had a significant impact on modern sociological theories and research.