Acting on the Collegiate Stage: Managing Impressions in the Workplace

Despite the acknowledgment of gender roles in the academy, little is known regarding the specific ways in which women faculty members manage those roles. This study applies impression-management theories and performativity to understand the specific ways in which women faculty intentionally or unintentionally alter their performances to align with gender roles. Results from this study indicate that women faculty perform their roles in close relationship to the dominant discourse characterized by the specific context, and actively and intentionally use various dramaturgical techniques (demeanor, dress, and body language) to appear in a way that is acceptable to the particular context. Furthermore, results indicate that the continuous managing of impressions led to a reconstruction of their identity, merging the identity and intentional forms of impression management.