Self-monitoring Behavior

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1. What impact does self-monitoring behavior play in interpersonal behavior? (high and low self-monitors)

Snyder and his colleagues have identified self-monitoring behavior as another important component of the self. Self-monitoring refers to the degree to which individuals regulate their behavior on the basis of the external situation and the reactions of others (high self-monitors) or on the basis of internal factors such as their own beliefs, attitudes, and interests (low self-monitors).

Initially, it was assumed that high self-monitors engage in role-playing in an attempt to behave so as to receive positive evaluations from others. Thus, high self-monitoring was described as a useful characteristic for people such as politicians, salespeople, and performers, who wish to please those with whom they interact. More recently, Schwealbe (1991, as cited in Baron & Byrne, 1994) proposed that the high self-monitoring behavior of some individuals is based not on skillfully tuned role-playing in response to the reactions of other people but on relatively permanent images or "scripts" assumed to be appropriate in a given situation. For example, a college student may always be outgoing and amusing with those his own age and always be quiet and shy with older individuals-regardless of how others are actually responding to his behavior. This theory suggests two types of high self-monitors-those guided by the audience and those guided by assumptions about what to do in particular situations, irrespective of ant specific audience reaction. (1)

So, what impact does self-monitoring behavior play in interpersonal behavior? (high and low self-monitors)

(a) High self-monitors would be expected to pay attention to others and low self-monitors to pay attention to themselves.

These hypothesized differences do ...