#IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT SOCIOLOGY PROFESSIONAL#

The degree of self-efficacy describes whether a person is convinced that it is possible to convey the intended impression.Ī new study finds that, all other things being equal, people are more likely to pay attention to faces that have been associated with negative gossip than those with neutral or positive associations. This refers to the content of an assertion, which also leads to distinct ways of presentation of aspects of the self. A person’s goals are another factor governing the ways and strategies of impression management. The actions have to be appropriate to the targets, and within that culture, so that the kind of audience as well as the relation to the audience influences the way impression management is realized. Specifically, the surrounding cultural norms determine the appropriateness of particular nonverbal behaviours. Furthermore, the characteristics of a given social situation are important.

Logically, the awareness of being a potential subject of monitoring is also crucial. It can be stated that impression management becomes necessary whenever there exists a kind of social situation, whether real or imaginary. The idea that perception is reality is the basis for this sociological and social psychology theory, which is framed around the presumption that the other’s perceptions of you or your organization become the reality from which they form ideas and the basis for intended behaviors.Ī range of factors that govern impression management can be identified. From both a communications and public relations viewpoint, the theory of impression management encompasses the vital ways in which one establishes and communicates this congruence between personal or organizational goals and their intended actions which create public perception. Impression management (IM) theory states that any individual or organization must establish and maintain impressions that are congruent with the perceptions they want to convey to their publics. Whereas defensive strategies include behaviours like avoidance of threatening situations or means of self-handicapping, assertive strategies refer to more active behaviour like the verbal idealisation of the self, the use of status symbols or similar practices. A classic example is the idea of the “preacher’s daughter”, whose suppressed personal identity and emotions cause an eventual backlash at her family and community.Ĭoncerning the strategies followed to establish a certain impression, the main distinction is between defensive and assertive strategies. We try to assert our freedom against those who would seek to curtail our self-presentation expressiveness. If we feel like this is restricted, we exhibit reactance/be defiant. We construct an image of ourselves to claim personal identity, and present ourselves in a manner that is consistent with that image. The second motive of self-presentation is expressive.

The third is supplication, when we try to be vulnerable and sad so people will help us and feel bad for us. The second is intimidation, which is aggressively showing anger to get others to hear and obey us. The first is ingratiation, when we try to be happy and display our good qualities so that others will like us (Schlenker 1980, pp. One is instrumental: we want to influence others and gain rewards (Schlenker 1980, pp.

There are two main motives that govern self-presentation.

#IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT SOCIOLOGY PROFESSIONAL#

The notion of impression management also refers to practices in professional communication and public relations, where the term is used to describe the process of formation of a company’s or organization’s public image. It is usually used synonymously with self-presentation, in which a person tries to influence the perception of their image. In sociology and social psychology, impression management is a goal-directed conscious or unconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event they do so by regulating and controlling information in social interaction (Piwinger & Ebert 2001, pp.

Impression management sociology