Strategies and tactics of self-presentation as a psychological construct in interpersonal interaction

The article presents the results of a generalizing systematization of studies on the phenomenon of self-presentation carried out by Russian and foreign authors. There is no generally accepted definition of this concept, the available terms are conditionally considered in the context of motivational, personal, and situational approaches that determine this phenomenon. Each of the approaches has its own criteria, which are put forward as acceptable units of psychological measurement. The aim of the study is to offer the theoretical foundations for studying the phenomenon of self-presentation as a psychological construct manifested in its various strategies and tactics; the research is based on aspect analysis of Russian and foreign studies. To achieve the goal, a theoretical method was used to deconstruct the content of the main scientific sources on foreign and domestic psychology. It has been established that Russian and foreign researchers note the role of self-presentation as an integral component of interpersonal interactions. Many of the foreign works are based on the concept of «social dramaturgy», where the basic notions are «self-image», «social role», «self-expression», and «self-presentation». In Russian psychology, self-presentation is most often considered as a mechanism or a means of a person’s self-expression, a form of manipulative behavior, a type of personal activity, and an aspect of the communicative process. Some Russian and foreign authors consider self-presentation to be a manifestation of conscious manipulation based on subject-to-object relations. Other scientists believe that it is a mechanism for regulating one’s own behavior as part of subject-to-subject relations. The identification of strategies and tactics of self-presentation is presented in a variety of approaches by foreign authors. Russian researchers use foreign classifications for the Russian sample. The authors emphasize that the skill of productive self-presentation determines the ability to correctly present information about oneself, to focus on personal qualities that correspond to the presented situation, and also to convince the communication partner of the congruence of the interaction goals. An analysis of the main points of view on the problem shows that self-presentation in interpersonal interactions can be represented as a psychological construct characterized by subjective awareness and significance and the ability to manage it in the process of self-monitoring. These, in their turn, influence the formation of the idea of reality in the interaction participants, according to which the person implements strategies of self-presentation through various tactics.