Managing Impressions

Impression management encompasses individuals' deliberate efforts to shape how others perceive them during social interactions. This behavior is often employed to conform to social norms, secure approval, or pursue specific goals. While it involves selective self-presentation, it is not necessarily deceptive; individuals frequently present authentic aspects of themselves that align with situational demands.

Common strategies include:

• Ingratiation: where individuals use flattery or agreeableness to be liked.
• Intimidation: aiming to elicit fear or compliance.
• Self-promotion: which emphasizes competence and achievements to gain respect.
• Exemplification: intended to signal moral integrity.
• Supplication: used to invoke pity or support by highlighting vulnerability.

Each of these strategies relies on selectively presenting oneself in a way that aligns with social expectations and desired impressions.

A central element of impression management is emotional regulation—the ability to express or suppress emotions to meet social expectations. Each social context, or “frame,” determines the appropriate emotional displays. For instance, flight attendants are expected to remain courteous even when provoked, as their role emphasizes calm professionalism. In contrast, aggressive displays are acceptable and even encouraged in high-intensity sports like hockey. In emotionally sensitive professions such as mortuary science, training often includes techniques for managing affective responses under distressing conditions. Deviating from these emotional expectations—such as a visibly upset service worker—can result in adverse social evaluations, including judgments of incompetence or unprofessionalism.

When individuals experience significant life disruptions—such as job loss or divorce—their ability to manage impressions may be compromised due to heightened emotional distress. In such cases, aggression or withdrawal may emerge, often at odds with socially sanctioned emotional expression. Therapeutic settings and support groups offer structured environments where individuals can reconstruct their identities, embracing narratives that support emotional expression consistent with social norms. These communities often function as spaces of emotional re-socialization, facilitating adaptive impression management through the adoption of new, socially endorsed roles.

Impression management also facilitates the navigation and maintenance of social roles. By adjusting behavior and emotional expression to fit the demands of a given role, individuals uphold reputations and avoid social sanctions. This adaptability ensures coherence between one's personal identity and societal expectations, reinforcing both individual credibility and group cohesion across varied interpersonal settings.