IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

Relationship Management (Behavioral Science) Journal

 Impression Management
Impression is an idea, feeling or an opinion about someone, something or somewhere which has
encountered in our life, either once, a few times of often. It is formed either consciously or sub consciously
and can be based on through evidence or very less data about it.
Impression management is a conscious or subconscious process of an attempt to influence the perceptions
of other people about a person, object or event to form a certain image or impression of that person, object
or event. It is done by regulating and controlling information in social interaction. Impression management
is used synonymously with self-presentation, in which a person tries to influence the perception of their
image. The notion of impression management was first applied to face-to-face communication, but then
was expanded to apply to computer-mediated communication. The concept of impression management is
applicable to academic fields of study such as psychology and sociology as well as practical fields such as
corporate communication and media.
Factors
Impression management is a fundamental and universal process that involves a number of influential
factors. These factors are social, cultural and spiritual.

Social - Impression management allows the construction of desired perception, which helps in the
socialization. Use of impression management provides people with the necessary skills to create a custom,
desired and often a false perception of him/herself. This deceptively altered perception allows a person to
construct a new, but not necessarily improved version of him or herself for acceptance in the society. This
approach helps a person carefully construct relationships and by extension, they have the ability to alter
their position in the socialization process through impression management.
There are varieties of social implications within impression management, but not all of the social
implications are positive. Some of the repercussions are negative and can even be damaging to the person
responsible for the implementation of impression management tactics. Impression management has the
power and influence to create a favourable public opinion of a particular person, it can break a person in
regards to social standings, and it can repair a damaged persona. Additionally, impression management has
the ability to dictate a person’s position in society.

Cultural – Impression management has a very important support from the cultural aspect of human life.
Different cultures have diverse thoughts and opinions on what to consider correct or wrong. These
differences in thoughts make a person bow towards a particular culture in order to maintain his/her culture.
Some of the traits followed as a part of impression management w.r.t culture are clothes, colour of skin,
colour of hair, employment, languages spoken, way of talking, etc. These traits are compulsory followed in
order to be accepted or to maintain a decent position in a cultural organization. However, this is a major
reason for clashes as well as fights in many cases. Many a times, different cultures following different
ideologies often clash over and create unnecessary tension in the surroundings.

Spiritual - Impression management can also be exemplified through spiritual implications. Just as people
desire to fit in with their social and cultural groups, people aspire to fit in with their spiritual groups as well.
A spiritual group can demonstrate this concept through the process of altering one’s personality and actions
in order for acceptance. While normal people speak normally in common places, but in temples, mosques,
churches, or any other place of spiritual interest, the way of talking changes drastically only to please the
people in the surroundings. This factor is the least important factor because it is followed only for a certain
period of time and at only the places.

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Techniques
1. Conformity
Agreeing with someone else’s opinion in order to gain his or her approval. It is the act of matching attitudes,
beliefs, and behaviours to group norms. Norms are implicit, specific rules, shared by a group of individuals
that guide their interactions with others. People often choose to conform to society rather than to pursue
personal desires because it is often easier to follow the path others have made already, rather than creating
a new one. Conformity can occur in the presence of others, or when an individual is alone. For example,
people tend to follow social norms when eating or watching television, even when alone.

2. Excuses
Explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at minimizing the apparent severity to the predicament.
In simpler terms, an excuse is a reason which you give in order to explain why something has been done or
has not been done, or in order to avoid doing something. It is often given to avoid a situation, a person or a
task, which is being assigned to him/her. Excuses should be defined properly and framed with the use of
proper words so that it does not decreases your impression value in front of any particular person. It is often
a lie that is framed so that to get rid or to avoid a situation which is undesirable.

3. Apologies
Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously seeking to get a pardon for the section.
A regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure. In cases where one is not able to perform at his best,
or is not able to complete a certain task or any other situation where he/she might lose his impression value,
an apology is a lifesaver. It is one of the most pure impression management tactic because there is no
requirement of any special emphasis on way of speaking i.e. one just has to speak the truth and apologize
his/her shortcoming.

4. Self-Promotion
Highlighting ones best qualities downplaying one’s deficits and calling attention to one’s achievements.
Also called boasting when expressed in excess, it is done to inform one of his achievements for achieving
a better impression value. However, one should know that self-promotion usually is very easy to view w.r.t
a listener and does not benefit much in most of the cases. It is not much of a supportive tactic in the list of
impression management, but if expressed with the right words, it can also be a good asset for one.

5. Flattery
Complementing others about their virtues in an effort to make one self-appear perceptive and likeable. It is
the reverse case of self-promotion or boasting and is a very important asset for a person to get a good
amount of impression value. Most of the time, it helps in gaining the desires results but one should know
that flattery as a tactic should only be used only when one knows that the person is not very smart or
experienced. Many a times, it helps, but can also lead to a negative value of impression if it is not done
smartly.

6. Favours
Doing nice for someone to gain that person’s approval. It is the physical form of flattery where one, instead
of a verbal praise, helps the person in order for a desired result in the future, mostly for to get a certain work
done. This proves to be a very important asset in ones court if done for people of importance, mostly boss
of a company or any other superior. In all cases, unless the person has a very cunning or mean nature, it
proves to be a very important asset and can help in gaining a sound benefit.

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7. Exemplification
This is one of the most important asset in the list of tactics for impression management. Simply said, it is
to work more than expected to get rewards and bonuses. In addition, it leads to a drastic addition in the
impression value. However, sometimes, it may not work as per desired and one might not get what he/she
desired. Therefore, it is necessary to know the person or the boss who is assigning the task – whether he/she
is of a decent nature or is a cunning or mean person.

Conclusion
Impression management is one of the most important asset in a person’s court if he/she has a strong hold
on his/her desires, ideas, presentation skills and language. In addition, one should consider all the factors
that play role while using any of the tactics to attain a positive result of gaining an increase in the impression
value of him/herself.
It is also necessary to be true or to have good mind-set and not to use the techniques of impression
management for deceiving as where impression management can lead to ones benefits, it can also lead to
defaming, decrease in the impression value, and in some cases, mental stress.