Self-Presentation and Interacting with Others
High-Yield Summary
- Self-presentation = impression management = displaying oneself via culturally accepted behaviors. 3 competing models of emotional expression: basic/universal (Darwin/Ekman — innate, cross-cultural), appraisal (Lazarus — cognitive appraisal → predetermined expression), social construct (no biological basis, culture/context-dependent).
- Display rules = cultural expectations governing which emotions can be shown and how much (regulate expression, not the underlying feeling). Cultural syndrome = shared beliefs/norms/values of a culture shaping emotional display.
- Impression management distinguishes 3 selves: authentic (who you actually are), ideal (who you'd like to be), tactical (who you present to meet expectations) — not competing, can coexist.
- Goffman's dramaturgical approach: social life as theater. Front stage = performing for an audience per role/script; back stage = unobserved, unguarded. Distinction is presence of audience, NOT authenticity.
- Mead's theory of self: 'I' = spontaneous/creative individual expression; 'me' = socialized part reflecting the social environment. Both required — neither functions alone.
- Verbal communication (words) often depends on nonverbal communication (facial expression, gesture, posture, tone) to convey full meaning; nonverbal cues are culturally shaped (e.g., eye contact reads as trustworthy in U.S., confrontational elsewhere).
- Nonhuman animal communication channels: body language, facial expressions (most conserved across species), visual displays (sexual selection), scent (pheromones), vocalization (e.g., prairie dog alarm calls) — same underlying functions as human communication (emotion, status, danger) despite different signals.
Key Terms
- Impression management / self-presentation
- Regulating information revealed in social interactions to influence how others perceive you.
- Basic/universal emotion model
- Darwin/Ekman: emotional expression is innate, evolved, and similar across cultures.
- Appraisal model
- Lazarus: cognitive appraisal of a situation comes first, triggering a biologically predetermined expression.
- Social construct model
- Emotions have no biological basis; arise entirely from experience and cultural/situational context.
- Display rules
- Cultural expectations for which emotions can be expressed, and how much.
- Front stage / back stage
- Goffman: behavior performed for an audience vs. unobserved, unguarded behavior.
- "I" and "me" (Mead)
- The spontaneous individual (I) and the socially reflective self (me); together form the complete self.
Three Models of Emotional Expression
| Model | Core claim |
|---|---|
| Basic/universal (Darwin, Ekman) | Innate, evolved, cross-culturally similar |
| Appraisal (Lazarus) | Cognitive appraisal first, then predetermined expression |
| Social construct | No biology — culture/context determines expression entirely |
The Three Selves
| Self | Definition |
|---|---|
| Authentic self | Who a person actually is (factual baseline) |
| Ideal self | Who a person would like to be (aspirational) |
| Tactical self | Who a person presents to meet expectations (situational) |
Common MCAT Trap
- Same facial expression across unrelated cultures → basic/universal model; emotion only makes sense within a specific culture → social construct model.
- Front vs. back stage is decided by whether an audience is present, not by which behavior feels more 'genuine' — neither performance is fake.
- Don't treat Mead's 'I' and 'me' as opposing forces in competition — both are necessary parts of one functioning self.
- A confident-seeming person in a job interview who feels nervous is displaying tactical self-presentation, not a change in their authentic self.
Quick Recall
The Fore people of Papua New Guinea, with no Western exposure, interpret facial expressions the same way Western observers do. Which model does this support?
A doctor gives calm, reassuring bedside manner to a patient, then vents frustration alone in the break room. Front stage or back stage?
A prairie dog gives a distinct alarm call for a specific predator type. What is this an example of?
Which two selves are not in competition for 'the real self,' but instead answer different questions (factual vs. aspirational)?
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