self-presentation media n. a conscious or unconscious process by which individuals influence and control perceptions of themselves, closely related to impression management, which refers to the set of communications and public relations practices that corporate bodies such as companies and organizations use to manage their public image. Self-presentation strategies are aimed at establishing and maintaining impressions that are consistent with the perceptions one wishes to give the public. They can be broadly categorized as defensive (e.g. avoidance, self-handicapping) or assertive (e.g. self-idealization, use of status symbols). Erving Goffman’s (1922-1982) The Presentation of Self (1959), which emphasizes performativity as a strategy of social identity and interaction, has been influential in the conceptualization of this sociological and social psychological theory. SJ
