UNIT-1

Face to Face Impression Management & Mediated Communication (Self

Introduction & Self Promoting Over-Stating and Under Stating Strategies to
Overcome Communicative Inhibitions Creating Positive Self-image through
words Appearance- Verbal and Non-Verbal Manners) Giving Polite Yet
Assertive Responses - Responsive strategies to handle criticism - Accepting
Failure and Declaring Success.

Impression Management:
Meaning:
Impression management is all of the conscious and unconscious processes that we use to
control how others perceive us. It involves actions that often cast us in a favorable light in
order to achieve our goals. Controlling the impression we leave with others doesn't just help
us get what we want—it also influences our interpersonal relationships. Additionally, being
able to manage the impression you leave on others is an essential part of building trust,
strengthening bonds, and avoiding conflict. A person may engage in self-impression
management strategies to achieve their own personal goals, such as being liked, making new
friends, or getting a new job. Additionally, companies engage in impression management
strategies through the presentation of merchandise. The goal of the presentation of
merchandise is to influence people to buy products to boost company revenue.
Impression Management was first conceptualised in 1959 by Erving Goffman. The work was
first published in ‘The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life‘. The concept was expanded on
in 1967.
REAL LIFE AND MOST COMMON EXAMPLE OF FALSE IMPRESSION
MANAGEMENT:
Impression management in social media refers to a person's attempt to control the perception
of their image or life. A person can easily control what they share and do not share on social
media. Often, people only post the positive things in their lives and omit the negative. This
may cause others to view the person's life as perfect or successful, although that may be far
from the truth.
Importance:

Impression management is a crucial aspect of human interaction, influencing how others

perceive and respond to us. It can significantly impact various areas of life, including:

1. Personal Relationships

 Building trust: Positive impressions foster trust and strong connections.

 Attracting friends: People are more likely to befriend those they admire or respect.
  Resolving conflicts: Effective impression management can help defuse tensions and
find common ground.

2. Professional Success

 Career advancement: A favorable impression can lead to promotions and career

opportunities.
 Networking: Building strong professional relationships through positive impressions.
 Client satisfaction: Impressing clients can lead to repeat business and referrals.

3. Self-Esteem

 Confidence: Positive impressions can boost self-esteem and confidence.

 Personal satisfaction: Feeling good about how others perceive you can lead to
greater happiness and fulfillment.

4. Social Status

 Social standing: Positive impressions can elevate one's social status and reputation.
 Influence: People who are well-regarded often have more influence and authority.

In essence, impression management is essential for building strong relationships, achieving

professional success, and fostering a positive sense of self.

Techniques:
There are several key behaviors that people use to control the impression that others form.
These behaviors include:

1. Conformity
Conformity means being accepted and is intended to let others enjoy the surroundings or the
people in the surroundings. This technique is applied by companies when they have
employees come together to work together and in doing so ensure that the employees feel
accepted and comfortable.

2. Excuses
The second Impression Management technique concerns excuses. Excuses generally refer to
a person’s explanation about a negative or unacceptable event.

This explanation is given to avoid a severe punishment or judgement. Excuses are often
made. When being late for a meeting, or when a driver is fined for failing to wear his seatbelt.

3. Acclaim
Acclaim means proudly greeting the audience because someone knows he or she did their job
perfectly. Someone does this with a sense of excellence about himself.

In the business world, this could refer to a project team member who is praised by the project
manager because of a good idea or initiative. This encourages other employees to work
harder and better.

4. Flattery
Flattery means excessively complimenting someone else to appear perceptive and likeable.
Flattery is an assertive social technique for managing others’ impressions to increase one’s
social attractiveness.

This is done by saying things that flatter, praise or compliment the other. This impression
technique is especially common in the online marketing world.

5. Self-promotion
Self-promotion is about emphasising one’s best characteristics, or downplaying one’s
shortcomings. This draws the attention to one’s own achievements. This phenomenon is
particularly frequent in the business world.
An Impression Management example of this is a salesman who tells his boss: ‘colleague x
has taken three years to reach the number of sales transactions I’ve concluded in six weeks.’

6. Favours
Favours is another popular technique, both in business and in everyday life. Favours are
about doing something nice for others to receive acceptance and approval from them.

For instance, a salesman of luxury cars could offer his customer tickets to the theatre because
he can’t use them himself.

7. Association
Association concerns improving or protecting one’s image by managing information about
people and things with which one is associated.
For instance, an applicant could tell the interviewer: ‘that’s such a coincidence, your boss and
I were roommates at university’. Association also means collaborating with others to
strengthen and protect each other with regard to the information and image of the people
involved in the association.

Verbal and Non-Verbal Cues in Impression Management:

Verbal Cues

 Language choice: The words used can convey intelligence, professionalism, or

familiarity.
 Tone of voice: The way words are spoken can express emotions, confidence, or
interest.
 Pace of speech: The speed of speech can influence perception of intelligence,
enthusiasm, or nervousness.
 Pitch and intonation: Variations in pitch and intonation can emphasize points or
convey emotions.

Nonverbal Cues

 Body language: Posture, gestures, and facial expressions can communicate emotions,
attitudes, and confidence.
 Eye contact: Maintaining eye contact can convey interest, sincerity, and engagement.
 Proxemics: The use of personal space can signal comfort, intimacy, or distance.
 Haptics: Touch can convey warmth, affection, or aggression.
 Appearance: Clothing, grooming, and overall appearance can influence perceptions
of professionalism, attractiveness, or status.

Mediated Communication:
The term "mediated communication" refers to any situation where a technological medium is
introduced into face-to-face interaction. Compared to face-to-face communication, mediated
communication engages fewer senses, transmits fewer symbolic cues (most mediated communication
does not transmit facial expressions) and is seen as more private. Parties usually require some
technical expertise to operate the mediating technologies. New computerized media, such as mobile
telephones or instant messaging, allow mediated communication to transmit more oral and nonverbal
symbols than the older generation of tools.

Mediated Communication is communication that occurs through a technological medium,

rather than face-to-face. This includes various forms of communication such as:

 Phone calls
 Text messaging
 Email
 Video conferencing
 Social media
 Instant messaging

Key Characteristics:

 Asynchronous: Messages can be sent and received at different times.

 Lack of immediate feedback: Responses may be delayed.
 Reduced nonverbal cues: Facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice are
often limited or absent.
 Potential for miscommunication: The lack of nonverbal cues can increase the risk of
misunderstandings.
  Accessibility: Mediated communication can connect people across distances and time
zones.

Examples of Mediated Communication in Everyday Life:

 Using email to communicate with colleagues

 Messaging friends and family on social media
 Attending a virtual meeting via video conferencing
 Ordering food online

Self Introduction and Self Promotion:

Self-introduction and self-promotion are essential skills for building relationships and
advancing in both personal and professional life. Let's delve deeper into each:

Self-Introduction

 Personal Information: Start by providing your name, occupation, or role. This

establishes a basic foundation for the conversation.
 Key Interests: Briefly mention your hobbies, passions, or areas of interest. This can
help you connect with others on a personal level.
 Professional Background: Highlight your relevant experience, skills, or
achievements. This is particularly important in professional settings.
 Goal or Purpose: Explain why you're introducing yourself. Are you looking to
network, seek advice, or collaborate?

Self-Promotion

 Achievements: Highlight your accomplishments, whether they are professional,

academic, or personal.
 Skills: Emphasize your key skills and abilities that are relevant to the situation.
 Unique Selling Points: Identify what sets you apart from others. What unique value
can you offer?
 Stories: Share personal anecdotes or experiences that illustrate your skills or qualities.
 Confidence: Project confidence and enthusiasm when talking about yourself.
Creating Positive Self-image through words Appearance- Verbal and Non-Verbal
Manners

Body Language

Meaning:

Body language is the use of physical behavior, expressions, and mannerisms to communicate
nonverbally, often done instinctively rather than consciously. Whether you’re aware of it or
not, when you interact with others, you’re continuously giving and receiving wordless
signals. All of your nonverbal behaviors—the gestures you make, your posture, your tone of
voice, how much eye contact you make—send strong messages.

In fact, it’s not the words that you use but your nonverbal cues or body language that speak
the loudest. They can put people at ease, build trust, and draw others towards you, or they can
offend, confuse, and undermine what you’re trying to convey. These messages don’t stop
when you stop speaking either. Even when you’re silent, you’re still communicating
nonverbally.

Importance

Body language is a powerful form of nonverbal communication that can significantly impact
how others perceive us. It can convey emotions, attitudes, and intentions, often even more
effectively than spoken words. Here are some key reasons why body language is important:

1. Effective Communication: Body language can reinforce or contradict verbal

messages, making communication more impactful and clear.
2. Building Relationships: Positive body language can help build trust, rapport, and
strong relationships with others.
3. Influencing Perceptions: How we present ourselves through body language can
significantly influence how others perceive our confidence, credibility, and
trustworthiness.
4. Expressing Emotions: Body language can often reveal our true emotions, even when
we try to hide them.
5. Cultural Understanding: Understanding body language can be crucial for effective
cross-cultural communication, as gestures and expressions can vary across cultures.
6. Self-Perception: Our body language can influence how we perceive ourselves.
Positive body language can boost self-esteem and confidence.

In essence, body language is a vital tool for effective communication and building
relationships. By understanding and consciously using body language, we can improve our
interactions with others and project a more positive and confident image.

Roles

1. Repetition: It repeats and often strengthens the message you’re making verbally.
 2. Contradiction: It can contradict the message you’re trying to convey, thus indicating
to your listener that you may not be telling the truth.
3. Substitution: It can substitute for a verbal message. For example, your facial
expression often conveys a far more vivid message than words ever can.
4. Complementing: It may add to or complement your verbal message. As a boss, if you
pat an employee on the back in addition to giving praise, it can increase the impact of
your message.
5. Accenting: It may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for
example, can underline the importance of your message.

Types of Body Language

1. Facial expressions: Convey emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise.
2. Gestures: Hand movements that can emphasize points or convey meaning.
3. Posture: The way we stand or sit can signal confidence, openness, or defensiveness.
4. Eye contact: Maintaining eye contact can show interest, sincerity, and engagement.
5. Proxemics: The use of personal space can indicate comfort, intimacy, or distance.

Albert Mehrabian's 7-38-55 Rule is a popular theory that suggests the relative importance
of verbal and nonverbal communication in conveying meaning. According to this rule:

 7%: Verbal content (the actual words spoken)

 38%: Tone of voice (vocal cues such as pitch, volume, and intonation)
 55%: Body language (nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, and
posture)

Verbal and Nonverbal Cues That Harm and Uplift Body Language
Harmful Verbal Cues

 Negative self-talk: This includes statements that criticize or belittle oneself, such as
"I'm not good enough" or "I can't do this."

Uplifting Verbal Cues

 Positive self-talk: Affirmations and encouraging statements can boost self-esteem

and confidence.
 Enthusiasm: Expressing excitement and enthusiasm can make you appear more
engaged and approachable.

Harmful Nonverbal Cues

 Slouching: A slumped posture can convey laziness, lack of confidence, or disinterest.

 Crossing arms: This gesture can signal defensiveness, resistance, or a desire to close
oneself off.
 Avoiding eye contact: This can be perceived as dishonesty, disinterest, or disrespect.
 Fidgeting: Excessive movement can indicate nervousness, anxiety, or discomfort.

Uplifting Nonverbal Cues

 Standing tall: A confident posture can project self-assurance and authority.

 Smiling: A genuine smile conveys happiness, friendliness, and openness.
 Maintaining eye contact: This shows interest, engagement, and respect.
 Open gestures: Using open hand gestures can signal openness, honesty, and
willingness to communicate.

By being mindful of these verbal and nonverbal cues, you can improve your body language
and project a more positive and confident image.

8 Elements of Confident Body Language

1. Power Pose:

 Research: While the original research on power posing has been debated, studies
suggest that holding powerful postures can temporarily boost feelings of confidence
and reduce stress hormones.
 Practice: Incorporate power poses into your daily routine, even for a few minutes.
Experiment with different poses to find what works best for you.

2. Eye Contact:
  Connection: Maintaining eye contact creates a sense of connection and trust with
your audience. It shows that you're engaged and interested in them.
 Feedback: Eye contact allows you to gauge your audience's reactions and adjust your
presentation accordingly.

3. Hand Gestures:

 Emphasis: Hand gestures can emphasize key points, add visual interest, and make
your speech more engaging.
 Authenticity: Use gestures that feel natural and authentic to you. Avoid excessive or
forced movements.

4. Movement:

 Engagement: Moving around the stage can keep your audience engaged and prevent
them from becoming bored.
 Confidence: Confident movement demonstrates authority and shows that you're
comfortable in your surroundings.

5. Facial Expressions:

 Emotional Connection: Your facial expressions should align with the emotions
you're conveying in your speech.
 Authenticity: Avoid over-exaggerating or forcing facial expressions. Let your
emotions shine through naturally.

6. Mannerisms:

 Self-Awareness: Become aware of any nervous habits or mannerisms that might be

distracting.
 Practice: Work on breaking these habits through conscious effort and practice.

7. Breathing:

 Relaxation: Deep, steady breathing can help calm your nerves and reduce anxiety.
 Projection: Proper breathing techniques can improve your vocal projection and
clarity.

8. Voice:

 Modulation: Vary your pitch, volume, and pace to keep your audience engaged and
interested.
 Enunciation: Speak clearly and articulate your words to ensure your message is
understood.

Remember, practicing these elements regularly will help you develop confident body
language and improve your overall communication skills.
Giving Polite Yet Assertive Responses - Responsive strategies to handle criticism -
Accepting Failure and Declaring Success.
Passive, Assertive, and Aggressive Responses to Criticism

When faced with criticism, it's important to respond in a way that is both effective and
respectful. There are three primary response styles: passive, assertive, and aggressive.

Passive Responses

 Avoidance: Ignoring or pretending not to hear the criticism.

 Submission: Agreeing with the criticism without expressing one's own viewpoint.
 Withdrawal: Avoiding the situation or person providing the criticism.

Example: "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that." (avoidance)

Assertive Responses

 Expressing feelings: Clearly stating one's thoughts, feelings, and needs.

 Setting boundaries: Establishing limits on what one is willing to tolerate.
 Seeking clarification: Asking for more information or a different perspective.
 Negotiating: Finding a compromise or solution that satisfies both parties.

Example: "I understand you're disappointed, but I believe there's another way to look at this
situation. Could you please explain your perspective in more detail?"
Aggressive Responses

 Blaming others: Shifting responsibility for the issue onto someone else.
 Yelling or shouting: Raising one's voice or using hostile language.
 Making threats: Intimidating or threatening the person providing the criticism.
 Personal attacks: Criticizing the person's character or abilities.

Example: "That's a stupid idea. You don't know what you're talking about!"

The most effective response to criticism is typically assertive. Assertive responses allow
you to express your viewpoint while maintaining respect for the other person. Passive
responses can lead to feelings of resentment or frustration, while aggressive responses can
damage relationships and escalate conflicts.