Impression Management

Impression management is something that I can relate to on a personal level. Impression management is the, “Act of presenting a favorable public image of themselves so that others will form positive judgments” (Newman, 165).  I believe that impression management starts very early on in life. From the time we are little kids were taught to appropriately while in public. How other people in society perceive us is critical for our future.

My whole life I have always tried to act older then I actually am. I always hung out with older people and developed a sense of maturity than most people my age don’t possess. I continually have this idea in my head that with age comes acceptance and respect. I couldn’t wait for people to take me seriously and regardless of my age, I would be considered for my values and ideas. Having the ability to hold my own in a society; that is primarily dominated by those who are of older age then I was fascinating to me.

It is my own personal belief that the concept of intersectionality plays a big role in impression management. As people we do not hold just one label in society. We are not just women and men; we may come from different ethnic, religious, and social statuses.  

My question is who has time to manage those different labels/factors from an impression standpoint?  As people we are very focused on be accepted. What is acceptable is determined by those who hold positions of power in society. As human beings we want to be accepted and making impressions on people is one way we go about it.  The philosophy I try to live by is to “treat people how you want to be treated”. By doing so, you make their impression of you a positive one.