Humblebragging - Publications - Faculty & Research

Article

Humblebragging: A Distinct—and Ineffective—Self-Presentation Strategy

By: Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton

Self-presentation is a fundamental aspect of social life, with myriad critical outcomes dependent on others’ impressions. We identify and offer the first empirical investigation of a prevalent, yet understudied, self-presentation strategy: humblebragging. Across nine... View Details

Keywords: Humblebragging; Impression Management; Self-presentation; Interpersonal Perception; Competence; Liking; Sincerity; Behavior; Perception; Interpersonal Communication; Personal Characteristics

Citation

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13 Jul 2015
Research & Ideas

‘Humblebragging’ is a Bad Strategy, Especially in a Job Interview

generous to them” Humblebragging runs rampant on Twitter, but it turns out to be a lousy self-promotion tactic, especially in business situations such as job interviews, according to recent research by Harvard Business School's Ovul... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

14 May 2015
Working Paper Summaries

Humblebragging: A Distinct-and Ineffective-Self-Presentation Strategy

Keywords: by Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino & Michael I. Norton

05 May 2015
First Look

First Look: May 5

Abstract—Humblebragging-bragging masked by a complaint-is a distinct and, given the rise of social media, increasingly ubiquitous form of self-promotion. We show that although people often choose to humblebrag when motivated to make a... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

10 Feb 2016
Sharpening Your Skills

Sharpening Your Skills: New Insights into Career Development

While humblebragging runs rampant on Twitter, it's a lousy self-promotion tactic that usually backfires according to recent research by Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino, and Michael Norton. Professional Networking Makes People Feel Dirty... View Details

Keywords: Re: Multiple Faculty

14 Mar 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research, March 14

distinct, and ineffective form of self-presentation. We first document the ubiquity of humblebragging across several domains, from everyday life to social media. We then show that both forms of humblebragging—complaint-based or... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

27 Dec 2015
Research & Ideas

The Most Popular Stories and Research Papers of 2015

Strategy, Especially in a Job Interview (25,829) While humblebragging runs rampant on Twitter, it's a lousy self-promotion tactic that usually backfires according to recent research by Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino, and Michael Norton. How... View Details

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