#USING IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT INDIVIDUALS HOW TO#

In other words, the theory is about how individuals wish to present themselves, but in a way that satisfies their needs and goals. Impression management theory states that one tries to alter one's perception according to one's goals. The foundation and the defining principles of impression management were created by Erving Goffman in The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. The concept of impression management is applicable to academic fields of study such as psychology and sociology as well as practical fields such as corporate communication and media. The notion of impression management was first applied to face-to-face communication, but then was expanded to apply to computer-mediated communication.

Impression management is usually used synonymously with self-presentation, in which a person tries to influence the perception of their image. Impression management can be used with either benevolent or malicious intent. Impression management is possible in nearly any situation, such as in sports (wearing flashy clothes or trying to impress fans with their skills), or on social media (only sharing positive posts). By utilizing such behaviors, those who partake in impression management are able to control others' perception of them or events pertaining to them. Impression management behaviors include accounts (providing 'explanations for a negative event to escape disapproval'), excuses (denying 'responsibility for negative outcomes'), and opinion conformity ('speak(ing) or behav(ing) in ways consistent with the target'), along with many others. It was first conceptualized by Erving Goffman in 1959 in The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, and then was expanded upon in 1967.

Impression management is a conscious or subconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event by regulating and controlling information in social interaction. Other work has investigated how easy it is to mismanage an impression, such as when “humble bragging” and giving “backhanded compliments.Process to attempt to influence perceptions A typical episode of impression management occurs when an actor performs an act in the hope of influencing targets in a certain way, and scholarly work has noted the importance of the target in this process since the target is not only the audience who judges the actors’ performances but also the critic who provides the actors with feedback that can be used in subsequent performances.

#USING IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT INDIVIDUALS HOW TO#

Virtually any behavior can be used for impression management purposes, and the desired outcomes range from positive, when the behaviors are intended to be seen in a favorable light, to negative, when the behaviors are intended to be seen in an unfavorable light.Īlthough impression management has been relatively free of controversy as a scholarly topic, some disagreements have formed around the ethics of managing impressions, how to best measure impression management, and whether impression management explains some of the more venerable topics in social science such as prosocial behavior, cognitive dissonance, and moral judgment. Since the 1950s scholars across multiple disciplines of social science have noted the importance of impression management and have developed key theoretical interpretations and taxonomies of how, why, and for whom impression management occurs and whether it is likely to have its intended effect. Most of the important outcomes in life, including friends, romantic partners, job opportunities, and happiness, are contingent on how one is perceived in social situations. Impression management is defined as controlling how one is seen by others.

Using impression management individuals