Self Presentation Part 1

Question 1

Define Self-Presentation

Answer 1

• Any behaviour made with the intention of influencing how other people see you
• The process of constructing and maintaining a desired reputation

Question 2

Self-presentation tends to be

Answer 2

automatic, not strategic

Question 3

Follows behavioural scripts/habits that have been

Answer 3

frequently rewarded in the past

Question 4

More likely with people

Answer 4

we’re familiar with and who know us well

Question 5

Self-presentation is sometimes more

Answer 5

controlled

Question 6

More likely when the audience is

Answer 6

important and we’re uncertain about the impression we’re creating

Question 7

Characteristic of Desirable Self-Presentations - Beneficial

Answer 7

The actor views it as facilitating their goals

Question 8

Self-presentation is often motivated by the

Answer 8

desire to be liked by others

Question 9

Rooted in evolution: A good reputation increases one’s chances of

Answer 9

survival and reproduction

Question 10

In modern times, a good reputation is also essential for

Answer 10

smooth and successful social functioning

Question 11

Leads to pervasive

Answer 11

socially desirable behaviour

Question 12

Public vs. Private Self: Lab studies consistently demonstrate that people behave in more

Answer 12

people behave in more socially desirable ways in public vs. private

Question 13

In public, people are:

Answer 13

• More generous and helpful when others are watching
• Conform more and accept more influence from others
• Work harder when watched

Question 14

The Pains of Avoiding a Bad Impression: Fake feedback of being racist RESULTS

Answer 14

63% of participants chose to endure pain
instead of sharing IAT score

Question 15

Follow Up Study: Worms

Answer 15

30% of students chose to hold their hand in a bucket of worms for 1 min rather than broadcast high racism score

Question 16

Suggests that people have a strong desire to maintain

Answer 16

Suggests that people have a strong desire to maintain a moral reputation and will go to great lengths to avoid a bad reputation

Question 17

In order to be liked, self-presentation is usually:

Answer 17

Self-enhancing

Question 18

With strangers, we are generally more

Answer 18

self-enhancing

Question 19

With close others (e.g. friends) we are generally more

Answer 19

more modest and more willing to self-present a less perfect image

Question 20

In order to be liked, self-presentation is usually: (2)

Answer 20

1) Self-enhancing
2) Adjusted to please the audience

Question 21

Self-enhancing

Answer 21

Degree of self-enhancement depends on the audience

Question 22

Adjusted to please the audience

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

STUDY: Dumbing Down to be Liked RESULTS

Answer 23

• If man was unattractive, didn’t affect performance on intelligence test
• If the man was attractive, women conformed intellectual performance to what they thought the man would like

Question 24

STUDY: Changing the Self to Be Liked

Answer 24

• If man was unattractive, no change in self-descriptions
• If attractive ,women changed self-descriptions to conform to what they thought the man liked

Question 25

desire to be liked can lead us to self-present in a

Answer 25

negative, problematic way if we believe this will please the audience

Question 26

Research indicates that our desire to be liked by others can lead us to self-present in ways that are unhealthy and detrimental:

Answer 26

* Smoking and substance abuse * Malnutrition and eating disorders * Skin cancer, due to tanning * Plastic surgery * Higher STD infection, due to unsafe sex * Injuries and accidental deaths due to risky stunts

Question 27

STUDY: Taking a Risk for a Good Impression RESULTS

Answer 27

* Participants had more successful tricks when performing in front of the female experimenter, but also performed more risky tricks and had more crash landings * Suggests that the desire to impress the female experimenter led to more risk-taking and therefore more accidents

Question 28

Self-Presentation Backfires (3 ways)

Answer 28

1) Too obvious 2) Come across as bragging 3) Behaviour doesn’t match claims

Question 29

Too obvious

Answer 29

If it becomes too clear that we’re doing things mainly to be liked, they are less effective

Question 30

Come across as bragging

Answer 30

Bragging is interpreted as a negative judgment about others, including the listener

Question 31

Behaviour doesn’t match claims

Answer 31

Leads to perception of being unreliable and untrustworthy

Question 32

Self-presentation, whether positive or negative, can also be motivated by

Answer 32

motivated by other goals

Question 33

Characteristic of Desirable Self-Presentations: Believable

Answer 33

The self-presentation can be credibly presented and defended to the audience

Question 34

In general, people are pretty good at

Answer 34

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

Question 35

In general, onlookers are

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Self-presentation produces

Answer 36

obligations for people to follow through on who they say they are in the long-run

Question 37

If don’t live up to self-presentation, will be seen as

Answer 37

unreliable, untrustworthy, and/or incompetent

Question 38

Highlights that a good reputation matters more than

Answer 38

a good impression

Question 39

People that are seen as inconsistent (i.e. large discrepancy between their claims and actions) tend to be

Answer 39

less liked

Question 40

STUDY: Creating a Believable Impression - Self-presentation depends on whether others can verify the claims or not RESULTS

Answer 40

* Under anonymous conditions, self-presentation was self-enhancing regardless of actual performance (claims cannot be verified) * Under public conditions, self-presentation consistent with actual performance (claims can be verified)