What's in a Name? The Psychology Namedropping in Organizational Life

Self-presentation is an inherent aspect of social life. Drawing from social networking and self-presentation research, this research posits that namedropping-casual mentioning of close social ties with a high-status name-has unintended consequences for impression management. Five studies (N = 2120) including two laboratory studies and a field experiment provide evidence that from everyday life to academic conferences, namedropping is a common, but ineffective self-presentation strategy in organizational life. Unlike mentioning of professional ties and instrumental connections, mentioning of personal ties and close social relationships with high-status individuals reduces liking and perceived status. Individuals may namedrop in several distinct forms, believing that it will signal status, but namedropping backfires. Moreover, namedropping results in behavioral consequences, influencing observers' generosity toward namedroppers. The current research also identifies perceived image concern as the underlying mechanism behind the ineffectiveness of namedropping as a self-presentation strategy. Together, these findings offer both theoretical and practical insights into how individuals can inform others about their social capital.