Downplaying positive impressions: Compensation between warmth and competence in impression management

The compensation effect demonstrates a negative relationship between the dimensions of warmth and competence in impression formation in comparative contexts. However, does compensation between warmth and competence extend to impression management? Two studies examined whether people actively downpla...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental social psychology 2013-01, Vol.49 (1), p.33-41
Main Authors: Holoien, Deborah Son, Fiske, Susan T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ability
Behavioural psychology
Compensation
Competence
Emotions
Impression management
Psychological effects
Self-presentation
Social interaction
Social psychology
Strategic behaviour
Studies
Warmth
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Summary:The compensation effect demonstrates a negative relationship between the dimensions of warmth and competence in impression formation in comparative contexts. However, does compensation between warmth and competence extend to impression management? Two studies examined whether people actively downplay their warmth in order to appear competent and downplay their competence in order to appear warm. In Studies 1a and 1b, participants selected words pretested to be high or low in warmth and competence to include in an e-mail message to people they wanted to impress. As predicted, participants downplayed their competence when they wanted to appear warm (Study 1a) and downplayed their warmth when they wanted to appear competent (Study 1b). In Studies 2a and 2b, compensation also occurred when participants introduced themselves to another person, as evidenced by the questions they selected to answer about themselves, their self-reported goals, and their open-ended introductions. Compensation occurred uniquely between warmth and competence and not for other dimensions, such as healthiness (Study 2a) and political interest (Study 2b), which suggests that the compensation effect extends beyond a mere zero-sum exchange between dimensions. ► Compensation between warmth and competence occurs in impression management. ► People who want to appear warm (vs. control group) downplay their competence. ► People who want to appear competent (vs. control group) downplay their warmth. ► Compensation does not extend to other dimensions (health, political interest).
ISSN:0022-1031
1096-0465
DOI:10.1016/j.jesp.2012.09.001