Debates in Digital Culture 2019/Impression Management

Introduction thumbnail|left|100px| Erving Goffman, Sociologist, wrote theory on Impression Management Impression management is something we do everyday. Most of the time we don’t even know we’re doing it as it has become such a natural form of communication between ourselves and the rest of the world. So what exactly does impression management mean? Impression management is the conscious or subconscious act of attempting to change public perceptions of people, events or objects. This is done by both companies and individuals through controlling the information and personal lives that the public can see.  It was first conceptualised by Erving Goffman Goffman, E. (1990). Presentation of self in everyday life. London: Penguin. 9780140135718 316059860 in 1959 inThe Presentation of Self in Everyday Life and then was expanded upon in 1967. The concept of impression management was first applied to face-to-face communication within the professional space, but then with the expansion of modern technology, it was renamed to apply to online presentation. Examples of this can be seen very clearly on the YouTube where impression management is a key factor in the success and longevity of a creator’s career on the platform. Furthermore, with more people concisely or subconsciously being a part of impression management more research has been shown into the mental health issues that arise in with the excessive impression management that has become the norm within society. Motives and Behaviours Behaviours thumb | Candidate at a job interview There are multiple motives and behaviours associated with impression management. Mark C. Bolino et al. Bolino, M. C. Kacmar, K. M. Turnley, W. H. Gilstrap, J. B. (2008) A Multi-Level Review of Impression Management Motives and Behaviours Journal of Management. 34 (6). Pp 1080- 1109.   describes behaviours exhibited by individuals. For example self-handicapping is a type of defensive mechanism which provides explanations for poor performance, also ingratiation is a form of assertive impression management in which flattery is used to be perceived as more likeable. The motives behind these forms of impression management vary, but often point to similar rationale. For instance, individuals will be more likely to adopt behaviours associated with “Self Handicapping” impression management when they fail a task at work Crant, J. M. Bateman, T. C. (1993) Assignment of Credit and Blame for Performance Outcomes The Academy of Management Journal. 36 (1). Pp 7-27. . This allows the blame to be placed away from the individual, as to not tarnish their reputation and prior performance. Individuals will also be more inclined to use behaviours associated with “Ingratiation” impression management when they found a job to be attractive or when they expected a job offer Stevens, C. K.(1997) Effects of preinterview beliefs on an applicants' reaction to campus interviews Academy of Management Journal 40 (4). Pp 947-966. . This allows for an appealing impression of the individual towards the hiring staff, which could benefit their job prospects. Although the majority of the research into impression management focuses on behaviours seek to benefit an individual by avoiding unattractive traits Rosenfeld, P., Giacalone, R. A., & Riordan, C. A. (1995) Impression Management in Organizations: Theory, Measurement, Practice. London: Routledge can lead to negative impressions Becker, T. E. Martin, S. L. (1995) Trying to look bad at work: Methods and motives for managing poor impressions in organizations Academy of Management Journal. 38 (1) Pp 174-199. . For example, behaviours such as poor performance, disinterest and bad attitudes can be used when an individual wishes to be dismissed or transferred from their current job. This creates a bad impression of the individual, leading to dismissal or other necessary actions; actions in which the individual actually desired. Motives In regard to motives, everyone has a different reason as to why they present themselves the way that they do online. Ingratiation is a form of assertive impression management that an individual can use to their own advantage, allowing them to be perceived as more likeable, and comes under the category of motives. To understand why motives are important regarding impression management, it is vital to know why people do the things that they do. As discussed by Roy G. D'Andrade & Claudia Strauss (1999), it is important to investigate the psychology as this has been able to explain motivation primarily in terms of universal needs and drives. D'Andrade, R., & Strauss, C. (1999). Human motives and cultural models (p. 1). Cambridge [etc.]: Cambridge University Press. This suggests that there must be a need to perform a certain way in impression management to then therefore get the results that one has intended. There are endless behaviours in impression management that one could perform, which leads to the understanding of having hidden motives to that behaviour. Intimidation being one of them, a person can be whoever they want to be online and even pretend to be a violent person, resulting in getting the outcome that their motives desired. As discussed by Carolyn M. Cunningham (2013), it seems that there are positives to intimidation online regarding impression management, explaining that intimidation could provide a strategic advantage to the person engaging in this strategy. Cunningham, C. (2013). Social networking and impression management (p. 28). [Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar]: [Verlag nicht ermittelbar]. The Self as Commodity Online Branding thumb|Jake Paul was the second highest earning YouTube celebrity in 2018, according to Forbes List. In the new sphere of online celebrity content creators have become both the seller and the commodity. Senft Theresa M. 2013 A Companion to New Media Dynamics https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118321607.ch22 West Sussex Blackwell Publishing Ltd 346-354 10.1002/9781118321607.ch22 Microcelebrity and the Branded Self. Hartley AM John Bruns Axel Burgess Jean The creation of an 'authentic' personality on social media platforms is key to generating income. The crackdown on YouTube’s advertising algorithm after controversies surrounding brand advertising on videos promoting controversial ideologies has meant that many creators suffer a loss of income due to their content not being advertiser friendly - creating an environment where videos that contain strong language were less likely to make money.Patel Sahil The ‘demonetized’: YouTube’s brand-safety crackdown has collateral damage Sept 6 2017 https://digiday.com/media/advertisers-may-have-returned-to-youtube-but-creators-are-still-losing-out-on-revenue DigiDay UK 21 March 2019 This is an example of how online identity is often created with the sole intent be profitable. “I’ve figured out ways to monetise and to take advantage of the power of the algorithm [...] it preferences longer videos.” says Cody-Ko, a creator with over two million subscribers on the platform. Peterson Tim Creators are making longer videos to cater to the YouTube algorithm July 3 2018 https://digiday.com/media/creators-making-longer-videos-cater-youtube-algorithm/ DigiDay UK 21 March 2019 This algorithm can lead to a "careful self-monitoring of one’s online persona" García-Rapp Florencia Roca-Cuberes Carles 3 July 2017 Being an online celebrity: Norms and expectations of YouTube’s beauty community https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/7788/6331#author First Monday 22 7 10.5210/fm.v22i7.7788 21 March 2019 in aid of being suitable for advertisers. The more profitable the internet becomes, the more self can be monetised and tactics to maximise profits through the upkeep of online identity can be implemented. Ibrahim Yasmin 2018 Production of the 'Self' in the Digital Age https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118321607.ch22 London Palgrave Macmillan Self-Commodification and Value 57-77 978-3-319-74436-0 It is claimed that YouTube creator Jake Paul earned 21.5 million in profits from YouTube and other branded content in 2018. Robehmed Natalie Berg Madeline Highest-Paid YouTube Stars 2018: Markiplier, Jake Paul, PewDiePie And More https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2018/12/03/highest-paid-youtube-stars-2018-markiplier-jake-paul-pewdiepie-and-more/#952e396909ac website:Forbes Dec 3 2018 23 March 2019 Jake Paul is known for his highly manufactured presence online, sparking a documentary series investigating his 'sociopathic tendencies' Rosney Daniel Shane Dawson and Jake Paul: How a YouTube series 'could be making millions' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45705129 3 Oct 2018 BBC News 23 March 2019 and the ‘real’ him. Despite the popularity of these episodes, Paul’s own behind the scenes series of his life failed due to it being ‘too real’ for the platform and the people involved - noting that the parties involved didn't want “that much realness or content about their lives out there on social media.” Shamsian Jacob Jake Paul gave up making a documentary about himself because it was 'too real' https://www.thisisinsider.com/jake-paul-cancels-uncut-documentary-youtube-2019-2 Insider Feb 15 2019 23 March 2019 Social Capital thumb|left|100px|Cartoon of a Social Influencer Although the commodification of the self and social capital is often associated with monetary value it is not necessarily always the case. Social capital refers to ways in which people can establish social value as a type of influence or power. However, social capital can be exchanged in to monetary value. Faucher Kane Kane X. Faucher Online Social Capital as Capital Social Capital Online London University of Westminster Press 13-37 2018 https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv5vddrd.5 The concept of social capital is closely interlinked with monetary value due to how money can be used to create influence. Followers, likes, retweets and similar notions become tools used for the purpose of personal branding, meaning that the self is used as a site for extraction of value. Ibrahim Yasmin Yasmin Ibrahim Self-Commodification and Value Production of the 'Self' in the Digital Age Palgrave Macmillan, Cham 57-77 12 June 2018 10.1007/978-3-319-74436-0_4 In this case the extraction of value refers to establishing fame and recognition which in turn creates social influence which is a form of power. When social influence has been established monetary exchange can occur. How the conversion of social influence into monetary value occurs is not straightforward. Social influence is not a type of currency and cannot be measured as such. Through influencer marketing companies can target potential customers by identifying individuals that are seen as influential figures. These individuals are also known as social influencers. Social influencers receive sponsorships, which is a form of monetary exchange, however, social influencers receive these sponsorships because they have already established themselves as influential figures. Psycho-Social Effects Psycho-social Effects of Impression Management is the psychological and social change in behaviour and mental state due to the management of online and offline identities. These effects are subjective to individuals and are not universal to everyone. Narcissism Online narcissism can help an individual develop Narcissistic Personality Disorder but is more often used to satisfy narcissistic traits. Managing online identities promotes these narcissistic traits as the content being posted is chosen to get the most likes, recognition and a higher follower count. Wickel Taylor M. 2015 Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications Vol. 6(1) http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1138/2/narcissism-and-social-networking-sites-the-act-of-taking-selfies Narcissism and Social Networking Sites: The Act of Taking Selfies 28 March 2019 Narcissism is not exclusive to in social media as narcissism is needed for establishing the self and establishing relationships.Zylinska Joanna. 2013 Ethics of Media 10.1057/9781137317513_6 London Palgrave Macmillan 91-105 The Culture of Blogging: At the Crossroads of Narcissism and Ethics Couldry Nick Madianou Mirca Pinchevski Amit The The narcissistic traits associated with Impression Management is the inflated self-image, being self-obsessed and the need for admiration. Campbell W. Keith The psychology of narcissism https://www.ted.com/talks/w_keith_campbell_the_psychology_of_narcissism February 2016 22 March 2019 The main ways in which these traits have been satisfied is the act of posting of photos online. Selfies are a significant part of online identity online as it presents online a visual mode of self-presentationKenaan Hagi 2018 Exploring the Selfie 10.1057/9781137317513_6 Cham Palgrave McMillian 113-130 Selfie and the Face 22 March 2019 .Those who post selfies often are satisfying their self-obsession and receive self-gratification through others’ reaction to the photo. This can, in some cases, transfer into their offline life and their identity. Those with an inflated self-image are often not easily embarrassed because of their grandiose view of themselves.Campbell W. Keith The psychology of narcissism https://www.ted.com/talks/w_keith_campbell_the_psychology_of_narcissism February 2016 22 March 2019 For example, Danielle Bregoli could be described as narcissistic as she displays multiple traits of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and her rise to fame started with an appearance on the Dr Phil show in 2016.Phill Dr. 13-Year-Old Says Mom Will Do Anything To Stop Her From Having Fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUFzNVolG8 September 2016 28 March 2019 Her behaviour and impression became a part of her brand online which in turn meant her narcissistic traits were rewarded. Hawk Skyler T. van den Eijnden Regina J.J.M van Lissa Casper J. ter Bogt Tom F.M. 2019 Computers in Human Behaviour, Volume 92 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563218305223#sec1 65-75 Narcissistic adolescents' attention-seeking following social rejection: Links with social media disclosure, problematic social media use, and smartphone stress 28 March 2019 Loneliness Studies have shown that the role social media and cellphone usage increases a feeling of loneliness amongst teenagers and adults. When we are on these devices we are constantly comparing ourselves to others’ lives and those who do better than us. They want this constant pleasure response from their phone that we don’t always get that leads to sleep disturbance, distractability, and of course loneliness. https://www.psycom.net/mental-health-wellbeing/mental-health-wellbeing-mental-health-wellbeing-how-social-media-increases-loneliness/ Not so social media: How social media increases loneliness Amatenstein Sherry 11/8/18 A survey found, “Individuals who spend more time on social media everyday felt lonelier than those who spent less time engaged in social media. https://www.psycom.net/mental-health-wellbeing/mental-health-wellbeing-mental-health-wellbeing-how-social-media-increases-loneliness/ Not so social media: How social media increases loneliness Amatenstein Sherry 11/8/18 Additionally, individuals who spent more time on social media in a week felt more isolated compared to others who checked their screen less. Think about how often we talk or see those friends on our social media page? Not regularly but yet we are still connected through photographs where a conversation isn’t needed. The entire social media sphere brings in an experience that leaves us constantly disconnected by checking our phones. As we view our peer’s enjoyment we then tend to think of ourselves as not so good. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/modern-mentality/201810/is-social-media-making-you-lonely Is Social Media making You lonely Ali Shaianna 10/5/18 Social media is an addiction that can take us away from good energy, sleep, human interaction, and experience. So much comes into play when we communicate with our mobile devices for better or for worse. Anxiety Studies of online identity have shown that impression management behaviors online can cause anxiety. Impression management behaviors have been linked to group norms, which are behaviors that people believe to be consistent with those of their social group. Papacharissi Zizi Zizi Papacharissi A Networked Self: Identity, Community, and Culture on Social Network Sites Routledge London 251-273 2010 9780203876527 Many users engage in false self-presentation behaviors on social media platforms because they believe these behaviors to be norms of their social group. Wright Elizabeth M. Elizabeth M. Wright White Katherine M. Katherine M. White Obst Patricia L. Patricia L. Obst Facebook False Self-Presentation Behaviors and Negative Mental Health CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 21 1 40-49 January 2018 https://eprints.qut.edu.au/115586/2/__qut.edu.au_Documents_StaffHome_StaffGroupK%24_knightdb_Desktop_Wright%2520et%2520al%25202017%2520VERSION%2520FOR%2520EPRINTS%5B1%5D.pdf 2152-2715 10.1089/cyber.2016.0647 29053387 Often these group norms encourage the idea of self as a commodity and place an importance upon self-validation through the number of likes, followers, and comments obtained. Ibrahim Yasmin Yasmin Ibrahim Production of the 'Self' in the Digital Age Palgrave Macmillan 2018 Cham 37-56 10.1007/978-3-319-74436-0 978-3-319-74436-0 Pounders Kathrynn Kathrynn Pounders Kowalczyk Christine M. Christine M. Kowalczyk Stowers Kirsten Kirsten Stowers Insight Into the Motivation of Selfie Postings: Impression Management and Self-Esteem European Journal of Marketing 50 9-10 1879-1892 Emerald Group Publishing Lts. 2016 English 03090566 10.1108/EJM-07-2015-0502 Examples of these behaviors include deleting a post on social media because it did not get enough likes or comments or not to posting twice in one day on Instagram because it is viewed as taboo by your social group. Users often seek to create a profile or identity online that reflects their 'ideal self' Pounders Kathrynn Kathrynn Pounders Kowalczyk Christine M. Christine M. Kowalczyk Stowers Kirsten Kirsten Stowers Insight Into the Motivation of Selfie Postings: Impression Management and Self-Esteem European Journal of Marketing 50 9-10 1879-1892 Emerald Group Publishing Lts. 2016 English 03090566 10.1108/EJM-07-2015-0502 and engage in strategic representation in order to create a positive impression Papacharissi Zizi Zizi Papacharissi A Networked Self: Identity, Community, and Culture on Social Network Sites Routledge London 251-273 2010 9780203876527 of their life as glamorous, cool, or fun even when their life is not, Pounders Kathrynn Kathrynn Pounders Kowalczyk Christine M. Christine M. Kowalczyk Stowers Kirsten Kirsten Stowers Insight Into the Motivation of Selfie Postings: Impression Management and Self-Esteem European Journal of Marketing 50 9-10 1879-1892 Emerald Group Publishing Lts. 2016 English 03090566 10.1108/EJM-07-2015-0502 therefore engaging in false-self presentation behaviors. Ibrahim Yasmin Yasmin Ibrahim Production of the 'Self' in the Digital Age Palgrave Macmillan 2018 Cham 37-56 10.1007/978-3-319-74436-0 978-3-319-74436-0 The pressure to constantly maintain a specific image of the 'ideal self' that follows group norms on social media can be overwhelming and lead to stress and strain on users. These false self-presentation behaviors and other forms of impression management have been linked to heightened levels of anxiety among social media users. Depression Emergence of online interactivity is consequential to mental health Wright, K. B., Rosenberg, J., Egbert, N., Ploeger, N. A., Bernard, D. R., & King, S. (2013). Communication competence, social support, and depression among college students: A model of Facebook and face-to-face support network influence. Journal of health communication, 18(1), 41-57. Available at: https://www.dhi.ac.uk/san/waysofbeing/data/health-jones-wright-2013a.pdf Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S. E., Golberstein, E., & Hefner, J. L. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among university students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77, 534–542. Weitzman, E. R. (2004). Poor mental health, depression, and associations with alcohol consumption, harm, and abuse in a national sample of young adults in college. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 192, 269–277.; depression can cause an increase in low self-esteem. According to Blease Blease, C. R. (2015). Too many ‘friends,’too few ‘likes’? Evolutionary psychology and ‘Facebook depression’. Review of General Psychology, 19(1), 1-13.available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1037/gpr0000030 from Andrew and Thomson Andrews, P. W., & Thomson, J. A., Jr. (2009). The bright side of being blue: Depression as an adaptation for analyzing complex problems. Psychological Review, 116, 620–654. depression is a "mechanism" produced by pressure results in consciously or unconsciously awareness specifically in regards to social networks sites (SNS). Multiple studies on 'Facebook Depression' lead to scholarship opposing views. Appel, H., Gerlach, A. L., & Crusius, J. (2016). The interplay between Facebook on social comparison, envy and depression. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 44-49. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c5b1/e46bead88b4bd8488b48021aa52fa4369fdc.pdf Facebook content and features attract attention by individuals through status updates entailing information such as friendship count, likes, browsing and feed, which are part of 'internet activity'. Seemingly this appears harmless however studies evaluated by Blease, Baker Baker, D. A., & Algorta, G. P. (2016) The relationship between online social networking and depression: a systematic review of quantitative studies. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(11), 638-648. Available at: http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/82192/1/BakerManuscript_v2.pdf and Jelenchick. Eickhoff & Moreno Jelenchick, L. A., Eickhoff, J. C., & Moreno, M. A. (2013). “Facebook depression?” Social networking site use and depression in older adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(1), 128-130. Available at: https://www.csus.edu/faculty/M/fred.molitor/docs/Social%20Networking%20and%20Depression.pdf indicate links between certain images and captions with person's achievement generates negative impact on the self. In addition, the 'reaction features' produced are controversial. Individuals have opportunities of expression through these icons, nonetheless envy, social comparison, melancholia correlate to depression. Thus, highlights SNS's are not at fault but the content within the sites immerse individuals unconsciously isolated, this brings forth Darwinism on natural selection. No member of a specie is the same no matter the DNA, even when it comes to the appearance of a person. Individuals ability to portray someone else ties with evolutionary performance in the sense of avatarism Papacharissi, Zizi . 2010. "Look at Us: Collective Narcissism in College Student Facebook Photo Galleries." In A Networked Self: Identity, Community, and Culture on Social Network Sites, 251-273. Hoboken: Taylor & Francis , inserts emphasis on.perfectionism Stoeber, J., & Hotham, S. (2013). Perfectionism and social desirability: Students report increased perfectionism to create a positive impression. Personality and Individual Differences, 55(5), 626-629. Available at: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/33658/1/Stoeber%20Hotham%20(2013)%20PAID.pdf visualized in unrealistic formats with high expectations. Moreover, competitive nature in evolutionary performance proposes negative connotations due to social comparisons. On the contrary online communities prove to benefit individuals with support. SNS's involve not just friends or acquaintances but people across nations, which certain individuals confined on as Wright et al note perhaps individuals partake in this to avoid confrontation.from friends and family. It is clear narcissism, loneliness, anxiety and depression in impression management are at early stages of research however, more people remain vulnerable. Professionalism in Impression Management Social Media Screening left|thumb|Multiple Hurdle Interview System- mass amounts of candidate information Social media screening is defined as a resource for employers to have access to a potential candidates information that is not expressed in their resume Lamb Debbie Social Media Screening: Compliance Risks vs. Employer Rewards https://www.sterlingcheck.com/blog/2017/08/social-media-screening-compliance-risks-vs-employer-rewards/ 16 August 2017 24 March 2019 . As of 2014, “over 92% of employers use or are planning to use social media for recruiting” (Jobvite, 2014) Cooley Delonia Delonia Cooley Parks-Yancy Rochelle Rochelle Parks-Yancy Impact of Traditional and Internet/Social Media Screening Mechanisms on Employers’ Perceptions of Job Applicants The Journal of Social Media in Society 151-185 December 2016 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303446547_The_Impact_of_Traditional_and_InternetSocial_Media_Screening_Mechanisms_on_Employers'_Perceptions_of_Job_Applicants. Social networking websites allow recruiters to connect, target, and attract talented and capable candidates (Jacobs, 2009) Vicknair Jamie Jamie Vicknair Elkresh Dalia Dalia Elkresh Yancey Katie Katie Yancey Budden Michael C. Michael C. Budden The Use Of Social Networking Websites As A Recruiting Tool For Employers American Journal of Business Education 3 11 7-12 November 2010 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1058250.pdf 1942-2504. Selection of the ‘right’ applicant for a job is simpler through pre-interview screening Warring Renee L. Renee L. Warring Buchanan F. Robert F. Robert Buchanan Social Networking Web Sites: The Legal and Ethical Aspects of Pre-Employment Screening and Employee Surveillance Journal of Human Resources Education 4 2 11-20 January 2010 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228482050_Social_Networking_Web_Sites_The_Legal_and_Ethical_Aspects_of_Pre-Employment_Screening_and_Employee_Surveillance . Candidates share posts on their social networking sites that provide an impression for the employer. right|thumb|LinkedIn Logo Recruiters use online networking to connect candidates with employers Ollington Nickolas Nickolas Ollington Gibb Jenny Jenny Gibb Harcourt Mark Mark Harcourt Online social networks: an emergent recruiter tool for attracting and screening Personnel Review 42 3 246-265 Emerald Group 2013 https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/00483481311320390 LinkedIn is a networking site for professionals, based on the amount of personal and professional information they provide, they are ranked at different levels which enables recruiters and hiring managers to be in contact. Online posts through a public domain are revealing in both positive and negative ways and accessed by recruiters and HR departments. Lamb Debbie Social Media Screening: Compliance Risks vs. Employer Rewards https://www.sterlingcheck.com/blog/2017/08/social-media-screening-compliance-risks-vs-employer-rewards/ 16 August 2017 24 March 2019 This increased need for public information can lead candidates to provide misleading information to boost the presentation of their professionalism. Online impressions are crucial in the new age hiring process. Increase social media screening has developed an employer need for required online applications. Human resource information systems (HRIS) can easily scan and sort the applications. Cooley Delonia Delonia Cooley Parks-Yancy Rochelle Rochelle Parks-Yancy Impact of Traditional and Internet/Social Media Screening Mechanisms on Employers’ Perceptions of Job Applicants The Journal of Social Media in Society 151-185 December 2016 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303446547_The_Impact_of_Traditional_and_InternetSocial_Media_Screening_Mechanisms_on_Employers'_Perceptions_of_Job_Applicants Utilizing applicants social networking sites provides information in a cost-effective manner and application honesty. Slovensky Ross Ross Slovensky Ross William H. William H. Ross Should human resource managers use social media to screen job applicants? Managerial and legal issues in the USA Emerald Group info 14 1 55-69 2012 https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/14636691211196941 Furthermore, social media screening is a growing field in the hiring process and the impressions applicants post online are influential in their candidacy. Online and Offline Interactions and Impressions Impression Management, as theorised by Erving Goffman, is more commonly applied to offline interactions, however it often occurs in online social settings as well and can be seen in cases of dating. Although there is a tendency to believe that the ways one acts online does not necessarily equate to the person they are in the offline world, it becomes evident that that is not necessarily the case. The assumption that persons appear to not consciously manage the way they present themselves offline and that one would be less of one’s real self online – because of a temptation to present themselves as an ideal version of who they are, due to higher chances of anonymity – becomes challenged when looking at case studies done on dating (both offline and online) in regards to Impression Management. thumb|Tinder, online dating app Dating – in any way – is a much exaggerated form where there is a conscious attempt of Impression Management, as researched by Zytko, Grandhi, and Jones, which revealed that online daters didn’t take any conscious measures to alter the way they presented themselves online, in fear of giving false impressions that would be exposed when eventually offline interactions happened. Zytko Doug Doug Zytko Grandhi Sukeshini A. Sukeshini A. Grandhi Jones Quentin Quentin Jones Impression Management Struggles in Online Dating Proceedings of the International ACM SIGGROUP Conference on Supporting Group Work 1-11 2014 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287289140_Impression_Management_Struggles_in_Online_Dating Often one would try to emulate the ways in which they presented themselves offline by using emojis to copy facial expressions, or punctuation to imply tone over text. In doing so they would attempt to closely replicate interactions they would have offline into an online format and thus manage the ways in which the impressions of their self is presented, seemingly making themselves appear more authentic as researched by Ellison, Heino, and Gibbs. Ellison Nicole Nicole Ellison Heino Rebecca Rebecca Heino Gibbs Jennifer Jennifer Gibbs Managing Impressions Online: Self-Presentation Processes in the Online Dating Environment Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 415-441 2017 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2006.00020.x Through both of these studies, it can be inferred that dating becomes a clear measure of how Impression Management is utilised offline as well as online. Abuse of Impression Management Impression management is also often abused in social interaction. Chan and Jaideephttp://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.430.9558&rep=rep1&type=pdf Observing Flattery: A Social Comparison Perspective.By Chan and Jaideep,2014 conducted a study about some social phenomenons. The following are some of the most common and typical behaviors we use to compel others to change their mind and behavior, through manipulating impressions of themselves or of another person. The most common kind of impression management in business is the presentation of merchandise which is advertising. Advertising is the business of attracting consumers' attention and encouraging them to buy something.https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/impression-management-definition-example/By Will Heilpern,2016 We should stick to the tenet of moral marketing to proceed real advertising. However, some companies often make no bones about concocting marketing solutions that misbehave or deceive consumers. Will Heilpern summarized some of the deceptive advertising in his article.https://www.businessinsider.com/false-advertising-scandals-2016-3?r=US&IR=T/ The following are some ways that unscrupulous advertisers persuade the public to buy their products or services. Phenomenon Definition Boasting Exaggerate your ability to make self-recommendation. Flattery This is a way to improve your standing in the eyes of others. 'Dress to kill' Express yourself by overdressing, like respectable and authoritative, sexy and desirable. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/what-is-impression-management-and-how-can-it-be-abused/What Is Impression Management And How Can It Be Abused? by Peck.D,2018 Deceitful advertising Exaggerated product efficacy or quality to mislead consumers. For example, electronic products. Bad arguments In advertising, propagandizing false arguments leads consumers to believe they are true. Emotive persuasion Persuade consumers to buy their own products and control their emotions. But such products often have quality problems. For example, some weight loss products are harmful to health.https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/what-is-impression-management-and-how-can-it-be-abused/What Is Impression Management And How Can It Be Abused? by Peck.D,2018 Conclusion Although Impression Management is mainly researched in areas of social studies and offline interactions, the practice of it, is also prevalent within online spheres. The way that people behave online, is not separate from the way they would act in the offline world, as there are similar motives and behaviours that impression management incites, as seen in cases of dating. Furthermore, impression management online, also becomes a tool for people to explore their identity within the vacuum of anonymity and even allows for abuse of impression management within social interactions, this can negatively influence a person's self presentation online as their self image and mental health can be affected. However, impression management can also become a source for people to create an online persona that they can profit from, as well as be used within professional settings such as job recruitment. There are many sides to impression management and the ways it manifests online, whether that be a conscious or unconscious action, it still remains a part of socially structured interactions. References 30em