Transmission of good news as an impression management tactic

Download

index.pdf

Date

2004

Author

Uysal, Ahmet

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

217
views

108
downloads

People are reluctant to transmit bad news, which is named as the MUM effect in the literature. One explanation of this effect suggests that people do not want to construct negative impressions by being associated with bad news. On the other hand, people are also willing to transmit good news which is largely ignored in the literature. In this study, transmission of good news is examined from an impression management perspective. It was suggested that people would be more likely to transmit good news and less likely to transmit bad news when they were dependent on the recipient of the news than when they were not. Four variables, likeability, perceived favor doing, expectations of gratitude and ulterior motives were hypothesized as potential mediators. Also, self ا esteem, self ا monitoring, Narcissism and Machiavellianism were assessed as personality variables. University students (N = 306) participated in a scenario study, with the valence of the news (good / bad) and outcome dependence on the recipient (high / low) as independent variables. The main dependent variable was transmission likelihood of the news. Results showed that, high dependence participants were more likely to transmit good news than low dependence participants. In contrast, high dependence participants were less likely to transmit bad news than low dependence participants. Moreover, likeability was found to be a partial mediator of the relationship. Participants tend to think that they would be perceived as more likeable if they transmit good news and thus they were more likely to communicate the good news. From the personality variables only Machiavellianism had a significant effect. High Machs were more likely to transmit good news in high dependence condition than did low Machs. The results of the study were discussed in the relevant literature.

Subject Keywords

General Social Sciences., Psychology M.S. thesis

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12605257/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/14380

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

A self-presentational approach to transmission of good and bad news Uysal, AHMET; Öner Özkan, Bengi (Scientific Journal Publishers Ltd, 2007-01-01) People are reluctant to transmit bad news, a tendency named as the MUM effect. One explanation of this effect suggests that people do not want to construct negative impressions by being associated with bad news. In this study, transmission of good and bad news was examined from an impression management perspective. University students (N = 275) participated in a scenario study, with the valence of the news (good/bad) and outcome dependence on the recipient (high/low) as independent variables and transmissio...
Prevalence of traumatic events and determinants of posttraumatic growth in university students Arıkan, Gizem; Karancı, Ayşe Nuray; Department of Psychology (2007) This study aims to examine the prevalence of traumatic events among university students and to evaluate the predictive values of socio-demographic variables, trauma characteristics, attachment styles and coping styles in posttraumatic growth. 321 students from the Middle East Technical University and Hacettepe University participated in the study. A trauma checklist, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Relationship Scales Questionnaire, Attachment Style Questionnaire and Ways of Coping Inventory were administer...
The association between organizational culture and individual factors on medical practice Saraç, Çakıl; Lajunen, Timo; Department of Psychology (2007) The aim of the present research was to investigate the relationships between patient safety culture within hospitals and individual factors on medical practice among physicians. A total of 240 physicians from ten different hospitals completed the Medical Practice Questionnaire, Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, Maslach Burnout Inventory and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised- Abbreviated Form. In order to assess frequency and types of medical errors, Medical Practice Questionnaire was develo...
Predictor variables of psychological distress and perceived growth following motor vehicle accidents Birol, Aşkım Sevinç; Karancı, Ayşe Nuray; Department of Psychology (2004) This study aimed to examine the predictor variables of psychological distress and perceived growth among the survivors of motor vehicle accidents. Demographic characteristics as pre-accident variables, cognitive appraisals of the accident as accident related factors, coping strategies and social support as post-accident variables were used as predictors of distress and perceived growth. 200 adults (142 males and 58 females, ages between 18 and 65) participated in the study. Data was collected by a questionn...
Maternal personality characteristics, affective state, and psychopathology in relation to children's attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and comorbid symptoms Evinç, Ş. Gülin; Gençöz, Tülin; Department of Psychology (2004) This study aimed to examine the association between specific maternal characteristics (i.e., parents̕ personality, depression, anxiety, affective state, and coping strategies) and childhood ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Conduct Disorder (CD) symptoms in children with and without the diagnosis of ADHD. Method: Data was obtained from 231 subjects including mothers of 77 children who were just diagnosed by Child Mental Health Departments of Hacettepe University or IMGE Child Mental Health Cent...

Citation Formats

A. Uysal, “Transmission of good news as an impression management tactic,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2004.