When Being Nice or Being Smart Could Bring You Down: Compensatory Dynamics in Strategic Self-presentation. Issue 1 (10th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lindholm, Torun; Yzerbyt, Vincent
• Is Part Of: International review of social psychology. Volume 31:Issue 1(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-05-10
• Subjects: Strategic self-presentation -- warmth -- competence -- social compensation; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.5334/irsp.136
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2397-8570

Abstract

Research shows that the two fundamental dimensions of social perception, warmth and competence, are often negatively related in our perceptions of others, the so-called compensation effect . The current experiments investigate people's use of such compensation when self-presenting strategically to reach a desired goal. In Experiment 1, participants applying for a qualified job emphasized their competence while downplaying their warmth. In Experiments 2 and 3, participants role-playing as crime witnesses similarly attenuated their warmth relative to their competence. In contrast, in Experiment 3, participants in the role of suspects of a severe crime chose to downplay their competence. Results suggest that self-presenters are sensitive to warmth-competence dynamics in social perception as a means to promote the optimal self-image given their specific goals.