Self-Presentation and Impression Management

Susan Holbeck        

PSY-369

Dr. Nancy Walker

January 25, 2015

Self-presentation and Impression Management

Self-presentation and impression management seem to be synonymous terms. Our textbook defines self-presentation as “strategies people use to shape what others think of them” (Kassin, 2014). Impression management, according to Chris Provis, is “a process by which we attempt to influence the reactions and images people have of us and our ideas” (Provis, 2010). The truth may not be as simple.

Self-presentation is what we do every day that we wake up, get out of bed and prepare for our day. When I get dressed, style my hair and pick out my shoes I am preparing to present myself to those I will encounter throughout the day. If I am heading to work I will dress casually and conservatively, making sure that my tennis shoes are on and I that I look “ok”. If I am staying home for the day chances are good that I’ll stay in my pajamas, tie my hair back and leave my shoes off. At work I know that I will see any number of different people. I want to present myself as neat, organized, capable and smart. How I dress is appropriate for my environment and enables to me get my job done comfortably and efficiently. Staying home, on the other hand, means that the only person I need to present myself to is me.

Impression management takes self-presentation to the next level. Rather than just making yourself presentable, you use your efforts to influence or change the way people think of you. The question of ethics is raised in reference to impression management but not in self-presentation. The reason for this seems to be because of the potential for deception. For instance, during a job interview, aside from dressing professionally and minding my words, I may be inclined to manage the interviewer’s impression of me through embellishment or omission. Whether these deception tactics are unethical or not has been and will continue to be debated (Provis, 2010).

While self-presentation leads way to impression management, they are not the same. I use self-presentation to let those around me know that I am competent, capable and determined. To take that further and invest my efforts in convincing my boss that I am more capable or knowledgeable than I really am would be impression management.

References

Provis C. (2010). The ethics of impression management. Business Ethics: A European Review, 199-212. Retrieved from the gdu.edu website:  

Kassin, S., Fein, S. & Markus, H.R. (2014 p. 68, 123). Social Psychology (9th ed.). Belmont,         CA: Wadsworth