SELF PRESENTATION

Self Handicapping
● protecting one's self-image with behaviors that create a handy excuse for later failure.

Self Presentation
● the act of expressing oneself and behaving in ways designed to create a favorable
impression or an impression that corresponds to one's ideals.

● refers to our wanting to present a desired image both to an external audience (other
people) and to an internal audience (ourselves).

Self Presentation Strategy

● Humblebarg
- an attempt to disguise bragging behind complaints or false humility. It usually
backfires, failing to either convey humility or impress others.

"Public opinion is always more tyrannical towards those who obviously fear it than towards
those who feel indifferent to it."
–Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness,1930

Social Interaction
- careful balance of looking good while not looking too good.

Self Monitoring
● being attuned to the way one presents oneself in social situations and adjusting one's
performance to create the desired impression.

Social Chameleons:
● Those who score high in self monitoring
- are less committed to their relationship and more likely to be dissatisfied to their
marriage.
- but they may also rack up more connections online.
- it may result to dishonest behavior worthy of a con artist.
● Those who score low in self monitoring
- care less about what others think.
- they are more internally guided and thus more likely to talk and act as they feel
and believe.
- it may result in insensitive boor.

People want to be seen not only as capable but also as modest and honest (Cariston and
Shovar, 1983).