Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Understanding Missteps and Misperceptions in Impression Management

Abstract

Impression management is the process by which individuals attempt to influence the perceptions others have of them. These tactics are common in everyday social interactions, but can be particularly useful in professional spheres to influence others’ perceptions of employees’ competence and likeability, and therefore their chances of being hired, favorably evaluated, or earning higher salaries. Despite the usefulness of such tactics in gaining opportunity in organizations, strategic self-presentation techniques to manage the impressions others have of oneself can often have negative consequences. The current symposium seeks to advance the study of impression management in the organization by examining in a more nuanced fashion the perceptual consequences of impression management strategies. The proposed symposium consists of four empirical papers addressing when impression management goes awry. These papers examine questions related to the tactics individuals use to gain status in groups (presentation 1), the disclosure of failures as a strategic self-presentation technique (presentation 2), the use of detailed professional introductions to create opportunities for social connection (presentation 3), and the misperceptions between majority and minority groups about each other’s emotional reactions to equity-based issues (presentation 4). Together, via experimental studies using diverse samples, these papers address questions pertaining to when common impression management strategies are advantageous, and when they can be detrimental to individuals. The Mistaken Preference for Overclaiming Contributions in Groups Presenter: Daniel Stein; U. of California, Berkeley Presenter: Derek Schatz; U. of California, Berkeley Presenter: Juliana Schroeder; U. of California, Berkeley Disclosures of Successes and Failures as Social Utility Presenter: Emily Prinsloo; Harvard Business School Presenter: Irene Scopelliti; Cass Business School, City U. London Presenter: Joachim Vosgerau; Bocconi U. Presenter: George Loewenstein; Carnegie Mellon U. - Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences It’s the Journey, Not the Destination: Process Introductions Increase Warmth and Preserve Competence Presenter: Kelly Nault; INSEAD Presenter: Ovul Sezer; Kenan-Flagler Business School, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Presenter: Nadav Klein; INSEAD Outgroup Members Exaggerate Other’s Negative Affective Reactions Toward Majority-Group Privilege Presenter: Aastha Mittal; Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Presenter: Peter Belmi; U. of Virginia