Premium
Verbal and Nonverbal Impression Management Tactics in Behavior Description and Situational Interviews
Author(s) -
Peeters Helga,
Lievens Filip
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of selection and assessment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.812
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1468-2389
pISSN - 0965-075X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2389.2006.00348.x
Subject(s) - psychology , nonverbal communication , situational ethics , impression management , interview , impression formation , social psychology , affect (linguistics) , selection (genetic algorithm) , applied psychology , developmental psychology , social perception , communication , perception , computer science , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , political science , law
This study investigated how structured interview formats, instructions to convey favorable impressions, and applicants' individual differences influenced the use and effectiveness of verbal and nonverbal impression management (IM). Results from 190 people who were screened for a training program demonstrated that interview format affected the kind of tactics used, which in turn positively influenced interviewer evaluations. Behavior description interviews triggered self‐focused (and defensive) tactics, whereas situational interviews triggered other‐focused tactics. Instructions to convey a desirable impression also enhanced the use of specific tactics (self‐focused and other‐focused verbal IM tactics) and moderated the effects of individual differences on IM use. IM instructions did not affect nonverbal IM tactics, indicating that nonverbal behavior might be less intentionally controllable in selection situations.