Test_Impression management check

Objective To assess aspects of the way in which you deal with other people.
Briefing As you read each of the following 18 statements (based on Snyder, 1987, p.
179), ask yourself whether or not it applies to you, and answer (tick) ‘yes’ or ‘no’
accordingly. You will of course occasionally feel that you want to answer ‘sometimes’. But
try in each case to decide where your personal preferences, strengths, and priorities really lie,
and answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ accordingly. You don’t always get to sit on the fence. This is not a
test with right or wrong answers. It is designed for personal reflection and group discussion.
Yes No
1. I find it hard to imitate the behaviour of other people.
2. At parties and gatherings, I do not attempt to do or say things that
others will like.
3. I can only argue for ideas which I already believe.
4. I can make impromptu speeches even on topics about which I have
almost no information.
5. I guess I put on a show to impress or entertain others.
6. I would probably make a good actor.
7. In a group of people, I am rarely the centre of attention.
8. In different situations and with different people, I often act like very
different persons.
9. I am not particularly good at making other people like me.
10. I’m not always the person I appear to be.
11. I would not change my opinions or the way I do things in order to
please someone or win their favour.
12. I have considered being an entertainer.
13. I have never been good at games like charades, or acting.
14. I have trouble changing my behaviour to suit different people and
different situations.
15. At a party I let others keep the jokes and stories going.
16. I feel a bit awkward in company and do not show up quite as well as I
should.
17. I can look anyone in the eye and tell a lie with a straight face, if for
an appropriate reason.
18. I may deceive people by being friendly when I really dislike them.

Scoring You get either one point or zero, depending on how you responded to each
statement. Simply add up the number of points you got.
Statement Yes No Your score
1. 0 1
2. 0 1
3. 0 1
4. 1 0
5. 1 0
6. 1 0
7. 0 1
 8. 1 0
9. 0 1
10. 1 0
11. 0 1
12. 1 0
13. 0 1
14. 0 1
15. 0 1
16. 0 1
17. 1 0
18. 1 0

Interpretation:
- A score of 13 or more implies strong impression management skills:
 Awareness You are consciously aware of your own and other people’s feelings
and behaviour, and of how you affect others
 Flexibility You are able to adjust what you say and do to match other people’s
expectations, and to achieve your goals
 Control You are able consciously to control your behaviour, and thus to control
other people; you probably enjoy this
- A score of 7 or less implies weak impression management skills:
 Awareness You are not always aware of your own or other people’s feelings and
behaviour, or of how you affect others
 Flexibility You are unable to adjust what you say and do to match other people’s
expectations, and to achieve your goals
 Control You are unable consciously to control your behaviour, and may feel
uncomfortably manipulated at times
- A score between 8 and 12 implies moderate impression management skills. Read over the
interpretations, and judge your strengths for yourself. Which way would you like to go – up or
down?

Analysis:
Whatever your own score, consider the following key issues:
1. To what extent are impression management skills learnable and to what extent are we born
with them?
2. Is it unethical to adjust your behaviour in order to modify the feelings and behaviours of
others?
3. Regardless of your own impression management score, in what ways would it benefit you
to be more aware of how other people use these skills? Give specific examples.