Self-Perception,Impression Management,and Self-Consciousness

Abstract

Consistency between behaviors and expressed attitudes has been explained in terms of two distinct tendencies: 1) self-perception processes, in which individuals “rationally” utilize past beliefs and behaviors toward some object in formulating an attitude; and 2) self-presentational concerns, in which individuals utilize memories of past behavior toward an object primarily in order to express an attitude consistent with such behavior. A study was conducted in which the influence of public and private self-consciousness on the attitude inference process was examined. It was predicted that persons higher in public self-consciousness would demonstrate a heightened responsivity of salient behavioral information, due to a concern with appearing consistent in attitude and action. It was also predicted that subjects higher in private self-consciousness would demonstrate greater responsivity to salient behavioral information because of a hypothesized tendency to make more use of salient cognitive information about themselves. Both predictions were supported.