Impression Management Use and Effectiveness Across Assessment Methods

Abstract

Considerable research has focused on candidate impression management (IM) use in unstructured interviews. However, little research has explored candidate IM use in other, frequently used assessment methods. This study examines the extent to which candidates, under consideration for a promotion, use verbal IM tactics in two types of structured individual assessment methods: a situational interview and a role-play. Based on a cybernetic model of IM, we predicted that IM use and effectiveness would vary across the two methods. Thus, this study examines the consistency of IM use across assessment methods; an issue that has not previously been explored. As expected, the situational interview resulted in greater use of candidate IM tactics. Additionally, other-focused tactics were used significantly more frequently than self-focused tactics in both assessment methods. IM use in the situational interview predicted assessor ratings and final promotion scores, while IM use in the role-play did not. Overall, these results provide indirect support for the cybernetic model of IM.

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