Impression Management Techniques III: Aligning Actions

When individuals do or say something that violates accepted social norms, they often use a strategy called “aligning actions” to justify themselves. These actions help protect their reputations and maintain smooth social interactions.

Three important types of aligning actions are disclaimers, accounts, and apologies.

Disclaimers are verbal statements used to prevent negative judgments about an upcoming action that might disrupt social interaction or threaten one’s identity.

For example, an individual might say, "I'm not an expert, but..." to soften the effect of their comment.

Conversely, accounts are explanations individuals use after engaging in identity-threatening behavior to reduce blame.

There are two main types of accounts — excuses and justifications.

Excuses involve blaming external forces or internal conditions, such as illness or coercion, to minimize fault, while justifications are when the individual admits the behavior but claims it was appropriate due to the context or intentions.

Lastly, apologies repair identity by admitting fault and harm, expressing remorse, seeking forgiveness, and offering restitution.

Apologies are most effective when paired with accounts and perceived as sincere and unintentional.