Self-Monitoring

Although self-presentation is a way of life for all of us, it differs considerably among individuals. Some people are generally more conscious of their pub- lic image than others. Also, some people are more likely to engage in strate- gic self-presentation, whereas others seem to prefer self-verification. According to Mark Snyder (1987), these differences are related to a personality trait he called self-monitoring: the tendency to regulate one’s own behavior to meet the demands of social situations.

Individua l s who a re h igh in se l f – monitoring appear to have a repertoire of selves from which to draw. Sensitive to strategic self-presentation concerns, they are poised, ready, and able to modify their behavior as they move from one setting to another. As measured by the Self-Monitoring Scale, they are likely to agree with such statements as “I would probably make a good actor” and “In different situations and with different people, I often act like very different persons.” In contrast, low self-monitors are self-verifiers by nature, appearing less concerned about the social acceptability of their behavior. Like character actors always cast in the same role, they express themselves in a consistent manner from one situation to the next, exhibiting what they regard as their true and honest self. On the Self-Monitoring Scale, low self-monitors say, “I can only argue for ideas which I already believe” and “I have never been good at games like charades or improvisational acting” .