Expressing and detecting emotion

Self-presentation and social interaction involve how you manage the image you present to others, along with the ways you express and recognize emotion.

The role of gender in the expression and detection of emotion

• In this area, gender strongly shapes how emotion is expressed and detected. Women are often expected to show friendliness, passivity, and nurturing behavior. As a result, when they behave in ways seen as unfriendly, overly assertive, or neglectful, they may be socially penalized for deviating from prescribed gender roles.

• Research shows that female job applicants who use self-promotion may be viewed as competent, but they can also face disapproval and be hired less often because this behavior conflicts with social expectations of modest communication and conduct.

• In contrast, men are often socialized to be direct, confident, and willing to lead. This socialization can reduce the expectation that they should be sensitive to other people’s emotional cues. Boys are also frequently discouraged from showing vulnerability - such as crying or other forms of emotional expression - and this pattern often continues into adulthood.

Culture’s role in displaying emotion

Culture also shapes how emotion is expressed and interpreted.

• In individualistic cultures, people tend to emphasize the expression of personal emotions such as pride and anger, and they’re encouraged to seek recognition and promote themselves.
• In collectivist cultures, the emphasis is more often on regulating and sometimes concealing individual emotions while supporting group-focused feelings such as friendliness, hospitality, humility, and, when appropriate, shame.

Impression management

In self-presentation, people use strategies to influence how others see them.

• Impression management is the deliberate adjustment of behavior to create a favorable image.
• One common tactic is self-disclosure, which means sharing personal information. This can range from a simple introduction (“Hi, I’m John, Sarah’s friend from work”) to a more intimate disclosure, such as expressing dissatisfaction in a relationship and suggesting counseling.
• Another strategy is exemplification, where you try to present yourself in the best possible light, often shaped by the situation (for example, on a first date).
• Ingratiation involves using flattery or “sucking up,” such as complimenting an interviewer on how interesting their research is, even if the praise isn’t fully sincere.
• Managing appearance is also important. This includes choosing clothing that fits the image you want to project - dressing for the job you want, meeting grooming expectations, keeping children well-presented, maintaining a tidy home, or driving a vehicle that signals a particular status or income level.
• Supplication is another tactic. It involves asking for help in a way that builds connection and makes others feel valued, whether or not the help is truly necessary.
• Alter-casting means encouraging someone to behave in a certain way by emphasizing that the behavior fits their role. For example, a teenager might be told they’re mature enough to do their own laundry, or a clergyman might be urged to take a public stance on community issues.

The dramaturgical approach to self-presentation separates how we act when we’re performing for others from how we act when we’re not being observed.

The front stage refers to how we deliberately present ourselves in public settings.

The back stage refers to the more relaxed, less guarded behavior we show when we’re alone or with close acquaintances.

Communication in self-presentation

Communication is central to self-presentation. It includes verbal communication (words in speech or writing) and nonverbal communication (facial expressions, tone of voice, and body movements). Body language is especially important for conveying emotion. Research suggests that people are highly sensitive to emotional cues in posture, gestures, and movement, often without consciously noticing the signals.

Complex communication isn’t limited to humans. Animal signals can include both vocalizations and physical gestures. Many species use loud roars or howls to assert dominance or deter rivals. Birds such as peacocks display bright tails or wings to attract mates. Bees use dances to communicate the location of food sources, and ants leave chemical trails of pheromones to guide other colony members to food.