impression management

behaviors intended to control how others perceive oneself, especially by guiding them to attribute desirable traits to oneself. Typically, it is assumed that people attempt to present favorable images of themselves as a means of obtaining social rewards and enhancing self-esteem. Impression management has been offered as an alternative explanation for some phenomena that traditionally have been interpreted in terms of cognitive dissonance theory. Some psychologists distinguish impression management from self-presentation by proposing that impression management involves only deliberate, conscious strategies. [first described in 1959 by Canadian-born U.S. sociologist Erving Goffman (1922–1982)]

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

December 25th 2024

sudden insight

sudden knowledge or understanding of the truth or essential nature of something, such as a problem or complex situation. See aha experience; discontinuity hypothesis; eureka task; inspiration.