Part of the Casswiki article series Ponerology and psychopathy
Impression management is a manipulative process of controlling or influencing the perceptions of other people, where, for example, an individual enhances positively the other individual’s impression about that individual in any way or form. It is considered to be a way of “lying” to others.
This is a “psychological game” often played by narcissists or disturbed characters (in an attempt to keep an unrealistic exaggerated self-image), but most consistently used by psychopaths to achieve their goals (one of which is to keep others in the dark about themselves).
George Simon discussed about impression management in his Character Disturbance.
Further readings
- Psychopathy and the Art of Impression Management by George Simon
- Understanding Denial as a Defense Mechanism by George Simon
- Insight, Neurosis, and Character Disturbance by George Simon