Impression Management and the Digital Image Gap in Tulungagung Fire and Rescue Service
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62569/fijc.v3i3.292Keywords:
Impression Management, Digital Image Gap, Dramaturgy, Public Service Communication, Social MediaAbstract
Social media has become an important platform for public institutions to construct institutional identity, communicate public services, and maintain public trust. However, the digital image presented by institutions does not always correspond to their actual operational conditions. This study examines impression management and the digital image gap in the Tulungagung Fire and Rescue Service (Damkarmat) through Erving Goffman's dramaturgical perspective. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm, using a case study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations of the institution's official Instagram and TikTok accounts, and document analysis. Informants included institutional leaders, social media administrators, operational personnel, journalists, and members of the public who had experienced Damkarmat's services. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that Damkarmat actively employs impression management strategies through idealization, mystification, and dramatic realization to construct an image of a heroic, professional, responsive, and community-oriented institution. Social media functions as a front stage where service achievements and rescue activities are presented to the public, while operational limitations, including inadequate infrastructure, limited human resources, and increasing service demands, constitute the backstage realities. The discrepancy between these digital representations and actual operational conditions generates a digital image gap that may influence public expectations, perceptions, and institutional credibility.
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