Impression Formation and Impression Management: Motives, Traits, and Likeability Inferred from Self-Promoting and Self-Deprecating Behavior

Social Cognition, Vol. 17, No. 4, 1999, pp. 390-412

ROOS VONK

University of Nijmegen

Two scenario studies examined the effects of a person's statement about own abili ties and the possibility that the statement could be publicly verified by a subsequent

test. Inferences of competence, likeability, and self-presentational motives were as

sessed. As predicted, a low-ability claim was perceived as more strongly driven by self-presentational motives (being modest

or creating a defence against failure) when the ability was going to be tested than when it was not; a high-ability claim

was perceived as more strongly driven by self-presentation (impressing others and

bragging) when the claim could not be verified. These inferences of motives ap

peared to mediate trait inferences (judgments of the actor's true competence). In addition, cognitive load affected likeability ratings, but not trait inferences, suggest ing that traits were inferred with greater efficiency and that likeability ratings were

derived indirectly from inferences of traits and motives. The results illustrate the in

terplay between trait inferences and lay theories of self-presentational behavior, as

well as the relationships between inferences of motives, traits, and likeability.

Imagine you are teaching an undergraduate class. At the first meeting,

you announce that each student will later have to present a summary

and discussion of an article. During the break, you hear the students

talking with each other about this assignment. One of them says: "I'm

not good at this sort of thing. I'm afraid I won't do a good job." Another

one says: "I'm not worried at all, I like this assignment. I think I'll be

The author thanks John Skowronski and several anonymous reviewers for helpful com

ments previous drafts.

Address correspondence to Roos Vonk, Department of Social Psychology, Univer

sity of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands; E-mail:

[email protected].

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IMPRESSION FORMATION AND IMPRESSION

MANAGEMENT: MOTIVES, TRAITS, AND

LIKEABILITY INFERRED FROM

SELF-PROMOTING AND SELF-DEPRECATING

BEHAVIOR

IMPRESSION FORMATION AND IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT 391

good at it." On the basis of these statements, you can form an impression

of these students. You may infer that the second student is confident

and is most likely going to do well on this assignment; being aware that

the abilities in question will later be publicly tested, it

seems unlikely