Self-Monitoring Scale: Ability to Modify Self-Presentation

Ability to modify self-presentation

• In social situations, I have the ability to alter my behavior if I feel that something else is called for.
• I have the ability to control the way I come across to people, depending on the impression I wish to give them.
• When I feel that the image I am portraying isn’t working, I can readily change it to something that does.
• I have trouble changing my behavior to suit different people and different situations.
• I have found that I can adjust my behavior to meet the requirements of any situation I find myself in.
• Even when it might be to my advantage, I have difficulty putting up a good front.
• Once I know what the situation calls for, it’s easy for me to regulate my actions accordingly,

A 6-point Likert format was used, with high scores indicating  high self-monitoring: 5 = certainly, always true; 4 = generally true; 3 = somewhat true, but with exception; 2 = somewhat false, but with exception; 1 = generally false; 0 = certainly, always false (these weights were reversed for negatively worded items).

Source: LENNOX, R., & WOLFE, R. (1984). Revision of the Self-Monitoring Scale. Journal of personality and social psychology, 46(6), 1349-1364.