SELF-PRESENTATION (+ NEED TO BELONG(cont) + THIRD VARIABLES ) Flashcards
What is Moderation?
When the strength and/or direction of the relationship between an independent and dependent variable depends on a third variable
- The third variable is called a moderator
Strength of relationship depends on this
What is Mediation?
Explains the mechanism that underlies a relationship between an independent and dependent variable via the inclusion of a third variable
*The third variable is called a mediator
Relationship actually goes through another variable
Physical activity improves mental health. Research shows that this relationship is explained by improved sleep quality. Physical activity improves sleep which improves mental health.
Is this an example of mediation or moderation?
Mediation
Social media use is linked with mental health–more time spent on social media is related to poorer mental health. But this effect seems to only be true for young adults, but not for older adults.
In this example, what kind of variable is age?
- Independent
- Dependent
- Mediator
- Moderator
Moderator
What is Self-Presentation? (two definitions)
Any behaviour made with the intention of influencing how other people see you (a behaviour)
*The process of constructing and maintaining a desired reputation (ongoing thing)
Is Self-presentation automatic or strategic?
Self-presentation tends to be automatic, not strategic
*Follows behavioural scripts/habits that have been frequently rewarded in the past
*E.g. smiling and listening attentively because these have led to past approval
*More likely with people we’re familiar with and who know us we
When can self presentation be more controlled?
Self-presentation is sometimes more controlled:
- Want to create a specific impression (when we plan and rehearse)
- More likely when the audience is important and we’re uncertain about the impression we’re creating (ex. job interview)
What is the beneficial type of self presentation?
- We view it as good for our goals
- We want to be liked
- In ancient times (we need relationships to survive)
- Now: We need good reputation for good social functioning
THIS LEADS TO: pervasive socially desirable behaviour
How are our public / private selves different?
people behave in more socially desirable ways in public vs. private
In public, people are:
*More generous and helpful when others are watching
*Conform more and accept more influence from others
*Work harder when watched
How far will people go to avoid a bad reputation?
- Non black students and email study
Students do IAT
Told worst IAT score will be emailed with names attached to whole school
or they’re anonymous
(Then given racist score)
Will you do the pain study, to avoid seeming racist
63% of participants chose to endure pain instead of sharing IAT score (also prefer to hold hands in worms)
What does the email and IAT study show?
Suggests that people have a strong desire to maintain a moral reputation and will go to great lengths to avoid a bad reputation
How to Create a Good Impression?
*In order to be liked, self-presentation is usually…
Self-enhancing
How is Self-Enhancement Moderated based on Audience?
the extent to which we are self-enhancing in self-presentations depends on the audience
*With strangers, we are generally more self-enhancing
*E.g. job interview or date
*With close others (e.g. friends) we are generally more modest and more willing to self-present a less perfect image
How to Create a Good Impression?
We also:
(audience)
Adjusted to please the audience
*Conform behaviour to what we think others expect and want from us
*What is likeable and appropriate depends on the audience
*E.g. pretending to like the same band as your crush
*Can lead to self-presenting in a negative way
How can trying to create a good impression lead to self-presenting in a negative way?
(Study: Women Dumbing Down to be Liked)
Do women minimize their competence in order to create a positive impressions?
(Fem uni students)
agree/disagree with traditional female stereotypic traits
*E.g.“I’m the kind of person who is very sentimental”; “…very career-orientated”
3 weeks later: Hot/ Ugly guy will form an impression of u based on replicated impression study + “Intelligence test”: Anagram task
- He is progressive
- He is traditional
FINDINGS:
- If the man was attractive, women conformed intellectual performance to what they thought the man would like
- If ugly = no difference
What are the implications of the dumbing down study?
*Evidence that we conform our self-presentations to what we think our interaction partner will like
*BUT this desire to be liked can lead us to self-present in a negative, problematic way if we believe this will please the audience
*E.g. Minimize competence if the audience values less competence
- We also might act inauthentic
What is the Dark Side of Self-Presentation
people will smoke/drink/starve/tan excessively/plastic surgery
All to please people
Do people take risks for a good impression?
(Study: Does the desire to come across as attractive lead to greater risk-taking?)
Skate board
Male skateboarders
- do 10 tricks in front of male experimenter
Experimental manipulation:
*Male experimenter: Perform the tricks again in front of the male experimenter
*Female experimenter: Perform the tricks again in front of an attractive female
Coded:
*Successful trick
*Crash landing (failed): indicator of high risk-taking
FOUND:
- Did more successful tricks with fem, but also performed more risky tricks and had more crash landing
SO: the desire to impress the female experimenter led to more risk-taking and therefore more accidents
When will Self-Presentation Backfire?
(3 ways)
Think Michel from the Office
- Too obvious
*If it becomes too clear that we’re doing things mainly to be liked, they are less effective - Come across as bragging
*Bragging is interpreted as a negative judgment about others, including the listener - Behaviour doesn’t match claims
*Leads to perception of being unreliable and untrustworthy
How can we use self presentation to achieve other goals?
Self-presentation, whether positive or negative, can also be motivated by other goals
*E.g. Come across in an intimidating way to instill fear in others to get them to do what you want
*E.g. Self-present as weak and helpless to get others to take care of you
Based on self-presentation research, which of the following people is MOST likely to exaggerate their positive qualities?
a. A person meeting their partner’s family for the first time
b. A person in long term friendship
c. A person working in a team where their performance is well-known
d. A person giving a presentation to their close colleagues
a. A person meeting their partner’s family for the first time
Characteristic of Desirable Self-Presentations
(What are the two traits we want our self presentations to have?)
Beneficial
*The actor views it as facilitating their goals
Believable
*The self-presentation can be credibly presented and defended to the audience
Are people good at creating believable self impressions?
In general, people are pretty good at created believable self-presentations
*E.g. when instructed to behave in an introverted or extroverted way, people are able to convince onlookers that they actually have these characteristics, regardless of whether they really do
Are people good at detecting deception in others’ self impressions?
In general, onlookers are bad at detecting deception
*Even in close relationships, like between married partners
*Even people who we think should be expert lie detectors like police officers, psychologists, judges, and job interviewers
How is consistency important in self presentation?
Self-presentation produces obligations for people to follow through on who they say they are in the long-run
*If don’t live up to self-presentation, will be seen as unreliable, untrustworthy, and/or incompetent
*Highlights that a good reputation matters more than a good impression
What happens when people are viewed as inconsistent?
People that are seen as inconsistent (i.e. large discrepancy between their claims and actions) tend to be less liked
How positive of an impression will people convey? (if we assume they can be believed)
Study:
Participants led to believe that they would participate in a group on a social intelligence task
Ppl think the results will be public or anonymous
- Told they passed or failed an intelligence task
Then group project (before results were public)
FOUND:
Self-presentation depends on whether others can verify the claims or not
if anonymous= self-enhance
If public = act consistent with score
What are the implications of the consistency study on self enhancement?
We present ourselves as positively as we can get away with
*If information contradictory to claims can be hidden, people tend to be self-enhancing
*If contradiction will be public, people self-present more accurately to ensure consistency between claims and behaviour
*E.g. Better to set realistic expectations in work setting so that boss doesn’t have expectations of you that you can’t meet
