Preferred self-presentation tactics and status in a student group
Self-presentation is widely studied by psychologists and sociologists. It is normally defined as a purposeful personal activity, a part of social interaction. There are different types, mechanisms, styles and tactics of self-presentation. Successful self-presentation allows one to integrate into the group and to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. This is important in part because, in adolescence, communication with peers is highly significant for the individual. Moreover, higher education necessarily involves interaction with classmates and professors, while feedback received from others provides important information about how the person is perceived based on his/her appearance, demeanour, speech and other aspects of behaviour. The purpose of our study was to examine students' ideas regarding successful self-presentation as well as to compare students' subjective perceptions of self-presentation success and the self-presentation tactics they use with an objective assessment of their self-presentation. The sample consisted of 135 students. In the first stage, a focus group (51 students of Saint Petersburg universities) was formed to study students' perceptions of successful self-presentation; the second stage involved 84 students of Herzen State Pedagogical University (average age 19.2 years). The following methods were used: questionnaire survey, sociometric test, original version of the Polar Profiles Method and the Self-Presentation Tactics Scale by S. J. Lee, B. Quigley, et al. adapted by O. A. Pikuleva. The results of the study showed that - in the minds of respondents - the portrait of a student who is successful at self-presentation consists of a set of qualities that contribute to maintaining social contacts, creating a positive impression of themselves in others. It is an active person who has a certain influence, they responsive, friendly and cheerful, with a good sense of humour. Objective assessment of a student group members' successful self-presentation (based on sociometry) and his or her own assessment are directly related. Students who are successful at self-presentation and have a high status in the group, use such an assertive tactics of self-presentation as “negative evaluation of others” more often. High status in the group - according to the reference metrics - has an inverse relationship with the intimidation self-presentation tactic. Potential topics for additional study include an in - depth study of the relationship between self-relation and the self-presentation tactics used, as well as the relationship between successful self-presentation in the group and students' preferred styles of humour.