Impression (mis)management when communicating success

People routinely engage in impression management, for example by highlighting successes. What is not yet known is how people attribute their success (to talent versus effort) to give a positive impression. Three experiments explore this question and test whether people’s attributions of success receive favor from their audience. The findings show that, in impression management situations (e.g., job interview or date), people communicate their effort less than audiences would prefer. Thus, success alone may not be enough to make a positive impression on others; emphasizing effort as the cause for success also matters