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ERIC Number: EJ1014296
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jul
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0092-055X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Speed Dating and the Presentation of Self: A Teaching Exercise in Impression Management and Formation
Larson, Jeff A.; Tsitsos, William
Teaching Sociology, v41 n3 p307-313 Jul 2013
This article presents an in-class exercise for teaching theories of the presentation of self that is organized around two key concepts, impression management and impression formation. By highlighting the interpretive, interactive aspects of the presentation of self, this exercise is also useful for teaching the major principles of symbolic interactionism. The exercise is a modified form of speed dating in which students are paired together in a rapid succession of brief interactions (three to five minutes). Rather than seeking a date, however, students are participant-observers paying careful attention to how they form impressions of others and manage the impressions others are forming of them. Because of its brief and repeated interactions, speed dating puts students in a good position to observe their interactions with some analytical distance. With this exercise, students become active learners, which has been found to improve engagement and retention. Drawing on students' essays, we present evidence that the exercise helps students to develop a basic understanding of presentation-of-self concepts and symbolic interactionism more generally as well as an ability to apply them to their experience.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A