Self-Presentation and Impression Management (8C) - MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations

Public setting where people perform roles for an audience. The visible social space where impression management occurs.

Using flattery or agreement to be liked by others. Aims to increase likability through praise or conformity.

Emphasizing one’s competence or achievements to gain respect. Highlights abilities to establish credibility or status.

Using flattery or agreement to increase being liked. Aims to be liked through compliments and conformity.

Social interaction is like performance with roles and scripts. Views social life as theatrical performances on a stage.

Flexible behavior that shifts to match audience expectations. They adapt their presentation based on social context.

Success to internal causes; failure to external causes. Protects self-esteem by claiming credit but deflecting blame.

Using flattery or agreement to be liked by others. Aims to increase likability through compliments and conformity.

Behaves consistently across situations based on internal traits. Low self-monitors stay true to themselves regardless of context.

Advertising weakness to elicit help or reduce expectations. Appears helpless to gain sympathy or avoid demands.

Creating obstacles to protect self-esteem if performance is poor. Provides excuses before failure to protect self-image.

Emphasizing competence and achievements to gain respect. Highlights abilities to appear competent and worthy of respect.

Using flattery or agreement to be liked by others. Makes others like you through compliments and agreement.

Action taken to preserve social dignity after a threat or mistake. Protects one's public image after embarrassment or failure.

Private setting where people drop the public performance. Where actors can relax and be themselves without an audience.

Public setting where people perform to maintain desired impressions. Like a theater stage where actors perform for their audience.

Social interaction as performance: actors manage audience impressions. Goffman viewed social life as theater where we're all actors on stage.

Attempts to influence how one is perceived by others. Active process of shaping others' perceptions through behavior and appearance.

Strategic regulation of behavior to control others' impressions. People consciously adjust their behavior to shape how others see them.

Self-handicapping. Blaming external factors protects self-esteem after failure.

Preference for feedback that confirms one's existing self-concept. People seek feedback that matches their self-view, even if negative.

Motivation to maintain or increase positive views of the self. Drive to see oneself positively and present that image to others.

Cognitive dissonance. Discomfort when actions clash with self-concept motivates change.

Social interaction as performance; people act to shape audience impressions. Views social life as theater where people play roles for audiences.

Private setting where people drop roles and prepare performances. Where authentic self emerges away from public performance pressures.

A person's desired public self-image in social interaction. One's social identity that needs protection in interactions.

Using flattery or agreement to be liked by a target. Seeks approval through compliments and conformity.

Emphasizing competence and achievements to appear capable. Highlights skills to establish credibility and expertise.

Acting morally dedicated to appear virtuous or principled. Demonstrates moral superiority through righteous behavior.