The Impact Of Mixed Stereotype Identification On Compensatory Impression Management Strategy

Appearing warm and appearing competent are two central strategies people reliably use to affect the impressions others form about them(Schlenker & Weigold,1992;Swencionis & Fiske,2016).People downplay their competence when they want to appear warm,and that they downplay their warmth when they want to appear competent,this is so-called the compensation effect in impression management(Holoien & Fiske,2013;Swencionis & Fiske,2016).When given explicit social goals(to appear warm or competent),as well as engaged in cross-status and cross-race interactions,people will utilize these compensation strategies to manage their impressions they create(Swencionis et al.,2017).The mixed(meta-)stereotype expectation may be a psychological mechanism underlying the compensation effect in impression management(Swencionis & Fiske,2016).People usually adjust their impression management goals according to the contexts.Different contexts trigger different mixed stereotype expectations and identifications,affect people’s impression management strategies.In current study,three experiments were designed both on individual and organizational levels: Study 1(individual level)and Study 2(organizational level)tested if the participants hold different mixed stereotype expectations and identifications toward different task-based contexts,and if they strategically choose to downplay one dimension(warmth or competence)in order to create a particularly positive impression on the other dimension;Study 3 further explored the effectiveness of these compensation strategies.A single-factor within-subject design was adopted in Study 1.The independent variable referred to task-based contexts for individuals.Participants were divided into three groups according to the levels of independent variable: high-warmth group,high-competence group,and control group(no task).The task of high-warmth group was to write an application(self-introduction)for voluntary visits to a consolation.As for the high-competence group was to write an application(self-introduction)for "challenge cup" contest.Dependent variable was the compensation strategy,evaluated by the contents of two dimensions(warmth and competence)contained in the self-introductions.The results showed that the participants hold an high-warmth and low-competence stereotype toward the high-warmth context,and hold an high-competence and low-warmth stereotype toward the high-competence context.In other words,task-based contexts indeed trigger corresponding mixed stereotype expectations and identifications,and therefore affect participants‘ presentation strategy: participants in high-warmth group present more warmth-related traits and less competence-related traits compared to participants in the high-competence and control group;participants in high-competence group present more competence-related traits and less warm warmth-related traits compared to participants in the high-warmth and control group.The results indicate that mixed stereotyped contexts affect individual impression management strategies: in the high-warmth context,people want to appear warm and downplay their competence;in the high-competence context,people want to appear competent and downplay their warmth.A single-factor within-subject design was also adopted in Study 2.The independent variable referred to task-based contexts for organizations.Participants were divided into three groups according to the levels of independent variable: high-warmth group,high-competence group,and control group(no task).The task of high-warmth group was to write an application(introduction of the institute they belong to)in the perspective of institute for holding the "Charity Night".As for the high-competence group was to write an application(introduction of the institute they belong to)in the perspective of institute for holding the "Academic Salon".Dependent variable was the compensation strategy,evaluated by the contents of two dimensions(warmth and competence)contained in the introductions.The results showed that the participants hold an high-warmth and low-competence stereotype toward the high-warmth context,and hold an high-competence and low-warmth stereotype toward the high-competence context.In other words,task-based contexts indeed trigger corresponding mixed stereotype expectations and identifications,and therefore affect participants‘ presentation strategy: introductions of the institute written by participants in high-warmth group contained more warmth-related words and fewer competence-related words compared to participants in the high-competence and control group;introductions of the institute written by participants in high-competence group contained more competence-related words and fewer warmth-related words compared to participants in the high-warmth group,but showed no significant difference compared to participants in control group.The results indicate that mixed stereotyped contexts affect organizational impression management strategies too.In study 3 we explored the effectiveness of the compensation strategies both on individual(a)and organizational(b)levels.Two(a,b)2(goal: warm,competent)×2(dimension: warmth,competence)mixed designs were adopted.In study 3(a),participants with warm goal were required to select the suitable candidates for voluntary visits to a consolation;participants with competent goal were required to select the suitable candidates for "challenge cup" contest;the dependent variable indicators are the evaluations of warmth,competence and degree of acceptance for the candidates(through their self-introductions).In study 3(b),participants with warm goal were required to select the suitable institutes for holding the "Charity Night";participants with competent goal were required to select the suitable institutes for holding the "Academic Salon";the dependent variable indicators are the evaluations of warmth,competence and degree of acceptance for the candidates(through introductions of the institute).The results showed that whether in the individual or in the organizational context,the participants with warm goals assessed higher degree of acceptance for the candidates who downplay their competence to compensate warmth,while the participants with competent goals assessed higher degree of acceptance for the candidates who downplay their warmth to compensate competence.The results indicate that diverging compensation between warmth and competence based on the context is an effective impression management strategy for both individuals and organizations.