Self-monitoring

Self-monitoring, a concept introduced in the 1970s by Mark Snyder, describes the extent to which people monitor their self-presentations, expressive behavior, and nonverbal affective displays.[1] Snyder held that human beings generally differ in substantial ways in their abilities and desires to engage in expressive controls (see dramaturgy).[2] Self-monitoring is defined as a personality trait that refers to an ability to regulate behavior to accommodate social situations. People concerned with their expressive self-presentation (see impression management) tend to closely monitor their audience in order to ensure appropriate or desired public appearances.[3] Self-monitors try to understand how individuals and groups will perceive their actions. Some personality types commonly act spontaneously (low self-monitors) and others are more apt to purposely control and consciously adjust their behavior (high self-monitors).[4] Recent studies suggest that a distinction should be made between acquisitive and protective self-monitoring due to their different interactions with metatraits.[5] This differentiates the motive behind self-monitoring behaviours: for the purpose of acquiring appraisal from others (acquisitive) or protecting oneself from social disapproval (protective).

  1. ^ Day D, Schleicher D (2009). "Self-Monitoring". The Encyclopedia of Positive Psychology. Vol. 19. Wiley. pp. 886–888. ISBN 978-1-4051-6125-1.
  2. ^ Snyder M (October 1974). "Self-monitoring of expressive behavior". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 30 (4): 526–537. doi:10.1037/h0037039. S2CID 144979719.
  3. ^ Knight CR, Tilcsik A, Anteby M (January 2016). "The geography of stigma management: The relationship between sexual orientation, city size, and self-monitoring". Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World. 2: 2378023115625172. doi:10.1177/2378023115625172.
  4. ^ Snyder M (1987). Public Appearances, Private Realities: The Psychology of Self-Monitoring. New York: W. H. Freeman. ISBN 978-0716717973.
  5. ^ Wilmot MP, DeYoung CG, Stillwell D, Kosinski M (June 2016). "Self-Monitoring and the Metatraits". Journal of Personality. 84 (3): 335–347. doi:10.1111/jopy.12162. PMID 25565551.