Exam Two Flashcards
Self-presentation
the process through which we try to control impressions people form of us; also known as impression management. Focuses solely on the self and very narrow in scope; impression management is broader category looking at other social partners’ factors
o Examples of when we’re concerned with self-presentation
Applying for a job Meeting roommates’ parents Social media First date Meeting
o Examples of when we’re NOT concerned with self-presentation
At home with family
When with those close to us
While alone
o Can come across as manipulative while social psychologists think it’s a matter of selective attention?
We normally focus impression management on playing up our positives and playing down our negatives
• Why do we self-present?
o To obtain desirable outcomes and resources
o To “construct” a self-image
Based upon how others view us
o To facilitate smooth social interactions
• Dramaturgical perspective
view that self-presentation is seen as theater play with roles, props, audience, actors
• When do we self-present?
o When others control a desired outcome
o When the goal is important
o When observers hold undesired images of us
o When we think others are pay attention to us
Spotlight effect
people think others pay more attention to them than they actually do
• Example – Barry Manilow study
Barry Manilow study
o This study tested the spotlight effect by dividing college students into “observers” and “targets” groups
o In the observer group, people were asked to sit on one side of the table next to each other filling out a survey while the targets were told to enter the room wearing an “uncool” Barry Manilow t-shirt
o The targets were then asked to leave the room soon after being it in and then asked how many of the other in the previous room would remember their Barry Manilow t-shirt
• public self-consciousness
individual personality variable that reflects their public persona
o can be induced by environment
o objectification theory
through American society, women adopt the role of observers perspective of physical selves self-objectification
some situations might amplify this to increase anxiety
example – men and women clothing
• Self-monitoring
reflects our concern of our public persona and changing that perception in different situations
o high self-monitoring = “social chameleons”
o Social anxiety
fear of self-presentation failure
Occurs when people have desire to convey persona and feel like they’re failing to do so
Correlated with self-presentation but distinctive from it
• Goals of self-presentation
o Appearing likeable: ingratiation Ingratiation – trying to get others to like us Expressing liking for others • People like others who like them Liking is remarkably powerful Highlight similarities but do NOT create them • we like people similar to us o Appearing competent o Conveying high status and power
Ingratiation
we want others to like us • Strategies o Expressing liking for others o Highlight similarities o Make ourselves physically attractive More likely to be elected to office, more likely to serve less time in jail, more liked in general
• The multiple audience problem
when worlds colliding together; we went to seem likeable simultaneously by two different audiences o Can create anxiety o How to solve it Choosing one audience over the other Moderating your “multiple selves” Avoiding
Self-promotion
we want others to see as competent • Strategies o Stage performance Create opportunities to show competence o Verbal claims of own competence Conflicts with ingratiation to appear modest Tougher for women Or let others do it for you o Display trappings of competence Props used to show competence • To seem smart, you might put a lot of books on shelves o Make excuses for poor performance Before or after the event in question
o Self-handicapping
you’re putting obstacles in your own path
Drugs, alcohol, procrastination
Ready-made excuses
Intimidation
we want others to see us as having status and power
Encourage people to do things for us and listen to us
Strategies
• Use symbols of status and power
o Diplomas, houses, cars
• Conspicuous consumption
o Buying cars, which zip code is associated with you (90210)
o Potlatch – in some countries, when men have too much power/stuff of power, they’ll either give it away or burn it to show their high status
o Engagement rings – “what do her diamonds say about you?”
o Associate with successful others
BIRGing – basking in reflected glory
CORFing – cutting off reflected failure
o Dominant body language
Taking up space with your body
Study shown that when people are forced to stand in a “power position” before an interview, they’ll be more likely to get the job due to showing power, authority, status
Holtzman and Strube (2012)
o Dark Triad study
Narcissism: grandiose view of self
Psychopathy: lack of remorse; impulsive
Machiavellianism: manipulating people to get what you want
All three traits focus on manipulating people for one’s own benefit
Holtzman and Strube (2012)
o Research question:
are people with high dark triad traits especially good at effective adornment?
Holtzman and Strube (2012)
o Methodology
looked at unadorned attractiveness vs. effective adornment
Unadorned attractiveness: true, more stable form of attractiveness
Effective adornment: things people do to appear more attractive
Research participants posed for 2 pictures
• First was exactly as they came in (effective adornment)
• Second was without makeup, jewelry, hair pulled back, wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants (unadorned attractiveness)
Then took a self-measurement test assessing dark triad traits
Then got close others to rate participants on dark triad traits
Random group rated the attractiveness of the two pictures
Holtzman and Strube (2012)
o Findings
positive correlation between dark triadness and effective adornment; people who score higher on dark triadness are more likely to do things to show self-presentation of attractiveness
Personal ads study
o Archival study that looked at data collected of personal ads in northern and southern in United States to see how people presented themselves based upon where they were from as well as to see if they sought out those same characteristics with partners
• Persuasion
o There are many ways in which people try to persuade us
o Change in private (personal to oneself; internal) attitude or belief resulting from receipt of a message
o If they shift your opinion, they shift your behaviors
o Some attitudes are harder to change
Moral attitudes deeply embedded within us are hard to change; they make up who we are
o How do we measure attitudes?
Self-reports
Covert ways
• Implicit association tasks
o Asks about social prejudices in very discrete ways
Behavior
• Littering behavior of candidates for political races show that the pictures of those seen more in the trash or crumpled up were less likely to win elections
o Direct causes of persuasion
Dual process models
- Elaboration likelihood model
* Heuristic systematic model
o Direct causes of persuasion
Two different paths to persuasion
• We change by deep and careful processing
o Called the central route in the elaboration model and systematic route in the heuristic model
o Focused on quality; rational and logical thinking
o These ads are seen as boring and informational
o Yield longer-lasting attitude change
o Cognitive task
o Need both motivation and ability
• We process superficially
o Peripheral route in elaboration model and heuristic route in heuristic model
o Focused on emotions and surface level considerations
o Cues that indicate to change reasoning
Multiple arguments
Attractive ads
o Ads are more attention-grabbing
o Sex sells
o When do we allow ourselves to be persuaded?
When new attitude seems more correct (goal of accuracy)
• To hold accurate view of the world
o How can we be accurate?
Use careful, deep processing of relevant messages
When we can’t use deep processing, use heuristics/shortcuts of accuracy:
• Use credibility of communicator
o Credibility = accuracy
o Components:
Expertise and trustworthiness
o “if the trustworthy expert’s saying it, it must be correct”
• Use others’ responses as cue to accurate attitude
o More consensus = higher persuasion
o “if others think it, it must be correct”
When new attitude enables consistency
When new attitude enables gaining social acceptance
