Impression management
Also known as: Self-presentation
Controlling the image of yourself that others perceive.
What it means
The goal-directed process by which people attempt to influence the perceptions others form of them, regulating information in social interaction to project a desired image. Drawing on Goffman's dramaturgical metaphor of social life as theater, it encompasses tactics such as ingratiation, self-promotion, exemplification, intimidation, and supplication. Motivation to manage impressions rises with the publicness of behavior, dependence on the audience, and the relevance of the image to one's goals. It is a major source of social desirability responding and a confound in self-report research, but it is also a normal, often constructive feature of social life rather than mere deception. It is central to topics from job interviews and leadership to online self-curation.
Examples
A job applicant emphasizes accomplishments, mirrors the interviewer's manner, and downplays weaknesses to craft a competent, likable image.
Nobody's feed shows the ordinary Tuesday. The holiday photo goes up, the argument in the airport queue does not — it is a performance staged for an audience, not a diary.
Asked face to face how often they exercise or give to charity, people report more than when the same questions are answered anonymously. The extra is aimed at the interviewer.
First described in Erving Goffman (1959); Jones & Pittman (1982).
Where this comes up
- Response Bias in Surveys: A Behavioral Science PerspectiveSurvey responses aren't always accurate. Learn about the most common types of response bias, why they occur, and practi…