Image, image, style. Key definitions

Tatiana Cherepanova

There could be several subheadings for this article. Because you can talk and write about the image a lot. Protecting him from the attacks of philistine rumorand criticizing those who have declared themselves "image makers". But everything is in order.

You can find more than a dozen definitions of this concept. Dry scientific and bright metaphorical. From explanations based on comparing the word with the English "brother" to formulations in which an attempt to decipher the meaning of the word for some reason leads to the opposite result. Is this why the image is still interpreted inaccurately, distortedly in the mass consciousness?

By the way, the word came into the Russian language quite a long time ago - no later than the second half of the 80s of the last century. In 1986, viewers of the Musical Ring program asked the leader of the Aquarium group Boris Grebenshchikov about the formation of the image. But, alas, a quarter of a century was not enough to learn: the image is not just a dress, a suit, accessories, even if they are selected according to all the rules of harmony and etiquette.

Image - a set of characteristics that can describe a person, company, organization, profession, country ... If we talk about a person, then the image is not only the sum of his external signs: natural data and what they are "shaped" - clothes, accessories, makeup and hairstyle. In order for the image to be holistic, we still have to work on seven (!) of its components. Which one comes to the fore depends on the situation. Obviously, for a career in the modeling business, appearance design is of paramount importance. But for working on the Internet (in the information business), this is no longer so important. Although, in part, the functions of the overall image (from the Latin "habitus" - appearance) are beginning to be performed by other visual elements: the base photo, the design of the site ... (Show me your website, and I will tell you who you are ...)

There is another significant feature that describes the true meaning of the word "image".

An image is an artificially created image. NB! - artificial. And created for a specific group of people. They also say that image is a social phenomenon. No environment - no image. Image is not the same as reputation. Reputation is the reaction of the target audience to the broadcast image. Correctly identified the values and expectations of their public - the created image hit the mark. And the reputation was formed such that they wanted to get. But if the image is easy to control and correct, then the reputation is much more difficult.

Do I need to do an image?

This, as they say, is a purely personal matter. But. Even if you don't deal with it. The question is, which one? One that will help or hinder? Which will attract the “right” people (customers, partners, investors, media, etc.) or, conversely, signal to them: “No way!!!” Or even: "He is easy to circle around your finger ...".

Details and little things. Of course, you need to start with the design of the image. Including dimensional for a person and corporate identity for the enterprise. However, even a perfectly thought out and embodied image can collapse overnight. For this, the smallest thing is enough. But if many put up with mistakes in the design of appearance: few people understand it in domestic realities, and abroad how a person is dressed is still secondary, then mistakes in manners, communicative culture, even in self-presentation skills, can turn out to be bearish. service. By the way, you can’t even guess about it if you just let your image go for a walk. Still, the image is not a cat that walks by itself ...

How to assess the competence of an image maker?

First you need to know that as such, the profession of "image maker" does not exist in our country. It is not included in the register of professions, there is no single description of its content and requirements for specialists. No university graduates image makers with diplomas state sample. But they can be trained by institutions for advanced training or retraining (on the basis of higher education), commercial educational institutions, private schools, training centers and even advertising agencies. However, in the absence of a single standard for training specialists, the approach to creating a program and its content is different for everyone.

In practice, this leads to the fact that most image makers are exclusively engaged in image design -. On the one hand, there is nothing to worry about. But the services of such a specialist can not be very expensive!

Another part of those who present themselves as an "image maker" emphasize the psychology of the image. They offer services for personal growth overcoming internal problems. But this is not “quite” an image.

You can also meet image makers who work narrowly - only in business, only in politics. But again, their competence should be wider than just offering the client a shopping opportunity to purchase a suitable suit and tie.

There is another category of professionals. As a rule, they studied imageology for more than one year. Their training program included psychology, etiquette, international business and diplomatic protocols, modern imageology, communicative management, PR, image psychology, psychology of communication and influence, and other important disciplines. Many of them do not present themselves as image makers due to the devaluation of the profession name. But their level of competence is much higher than the knowledge of an image designer. Therefore, just these specialists rightfully establish a different order of their fees. And the result of cooperation with them can be crowned with much greater and significant results.

There are several tips that will help determine the level of competence of a specialist. In addition, there are nuances that are extremely important to find out even before starting work with it. You can learn about this and much more at the online workshop.

Hello dear readers!

In this article, I decided to turn to such an important topic as a person's personal image.

The fact is that a properly built and effective image -

this is one of the main aspects that determines its success and self-respect.

This topic has become very popular lately.

After all, managing your image allows you to profitably present yourself in society, become attractive and significant person while still being yourself.

Let's define that

An image is a purposefully created, stable, individual, emotionally colored image of a person, which is formed in the minds of the surrounding people and affects their thinking, behavior, feelings, emotions and experiences.

The main task of creating a personal image is to smooth out, hide or completely eradicate the shortcomings of one's appearance and / or character and bring to the fore dignity and advantages.

Some virtuosos even manage to forge attractive features from their shortcomings.

A properly built image of a business person allows you to establish positive and productive relationships with your surroundings.

Emphasizing the advantages and hiding the shortcomings, the image allows you to demonstrate your personal, professional and business qualities and attract the attention of customers, business partners and the general public to them.

In this context, the image can be understood as a set of attractive patterns of behavior and thinking.

Accordingly, the key to a successful image is the reproduction in one's image and behavior of such qualities and traits that please and attract the attention of those who are targeted by image communication.

Image successful person must necessarily include an aura of attractiveness. This allows him to be very useful tool influence that does not leave indifferent those around you.

In imageology (from Latin imago - “image” and logos - “teaching”, “science”), it is customary to single out a personal image, i.e. the image of a particular person, and the corporate image or image of an organization (business).

In this article, we will focus only on the individual image, I will write about the corporate image later.

From my point of view, personal image has three key components. They are shown in the diagram below.

The basis of any image is confidence, self-respect and trust in oneself. It is difficult to imagine that an insecure person can successfully present himself in society.

It is almost impossible to do this without confidence in one’s abilities, in one’s competence and in one’s actions (how self-doubt is formed, you can lament, and how to resist it in the article “”).

From self-confidence comes personal attraction and charm (however, sometimes self-doubt can be charming). Charm is often referred to as "the invisible part of beauty". Charm is a kind of charm, the ability to please, attract attention and charm.

As a rule, charm is the result harmonious combination visual and mental images. But, in any case, the real charm is sincerity and lack of pretense.

And, finally, the third component of the image is functional attractiveness. This is when the image incorporates elements of the image of a person who is necessary and useful for his environment.

He has something that the people around him don't have. This is its effectiveness. Such a person is the creator of some socially significant (ideally unique) product or service.

It is very important to understand that the ability to be useful to one's environment, the ability to bring something meaningful into the world, is a central life value for such a person. If so, then business person image becomes incredibly effective.

Having briefly reviewed what a successful image is and identified its key components, let's turn to the main aspects of creating an image.

foundations of construction and development

It must be said right away that the image of a successful person is always associated with his internal state, with his mood and speculation. It is difficult for a person prone to pessimism to create positive image because his negative thinking will always spoil his image.

And one more very important remark. The well-known Russian psychologist A. Yu. Panasyuk recommends applying the following principle when building a productive image:

Slightly better than all the others, but no more

“Your car should be slightly better than most people in the same circle; your office should be slightly better than most of your colleagues. As A. Yu. Panasyuk notes, “better than others, it should be so much that the prying eye notices it, but not so much that the question “where from?” is formed in the mind (albeit involuntarily).

In other words, the attractiveness of your image in the eyes of others should be based on harmony, and not on pretentiousness and excesses, slightly ahead of the attractiveness of the images of your rivals.

If you climb out of your skin in an effort to demonstrate some kind of better quality, then this will only cause rejection, but not a positive response.

This tactic will very quickly turn your most best qualities and achievements in junk and ruin your personal image.

Hence, one of the main principles of creating a productive image is its harmony. It includes harmony and a coordinated combination of external and internal aspects your image.

Another principle is positivity and goodwill of the created image. Compliance with this principle is the basis for the effectiveness of image communication, which creates positive relationships with others.

Another principle is image performance. The image must be created with a specific purpose and aimed at the implementation specific tasks. Otherwise, image formation process will become unmanageable, and the image itself will become ineffective.

And last key principle image building is manageability of the image. You should constantly monitor the effects of the impact of your image on the environment, identify the impression that it makes on target audience. And, based on this, adjust and develop your image behavior.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that work on one's image includes both the transformation of one's external image (visual image) and internal self-changes (creation of a new image of the Self or Self-concept). But we will discuss this in future articles.

And yet, as a post scriptum.

From my point of view, the most effective image is the image of a person who knows how to change, but at the same time always remains himself. This is the image of a sincere person who knows the price of his uniqueness and individuality.

That's all. See you soon!

Read along with this article:

I would be very grateful if you leave your

An image is an image formed in the minds of people, a stereotype, a set of certain qualities that are associated with an individual. The concept of reputation is very close to this concept.

Initially, the concept of image was used in the business environment as the main means of influencing consumers. Later, the image began to be understood as the most important category in the socio-political sciences and in psychology.

Stereotypes have been created in the minds of people for years under the influence of what they read in newspapers, magazines, books, seen on TV and heard in the team. A significant role in the formation of such stereotypical ideas is played by the policy of the country's leadership, and intellectual level personality, and the general economic level of the country.

For example, a large number of actors, having played one role, the most remembered by the audience, often complain that the image and reputation of the movie hero has spread to the actor in life. That is, even close people, acquaintances and friends ceased to perceive the actor in isolation from the role he played. In fact, a comedic or tragic character in the minds of people became inseparable from the artist who performed it on stage or in the cinema. For many actors, it was impossible to change the image of a movie hero even until the end of their lives.

Another example of image and reputation is the idea of expensive cars as about prosperity in society, happiness and material prosperity. The image of great opportunities and position in society is also provided by expensive real estate.

Recently, the topic of image formation (of a person, a company, a show business star, a businessman, a state or a politician) has gained significant importance in life. And this is understandable, because what each subject demonstrates and flaunts has a significant impact on most of his environment. Therefore, the right approach to the formation of a personal image is the key to the success of many events.

An image is the same as a name, a concept inextricably linked with the idea of a person. This is a person's calling card. This is the impression that other people recreate in their memory when they remember you.

The rules of image formation in the modern world

First of all, you need to define the image, what it is. The concept of image is not only appearance, the ability to look good, to match a hat to shoes and lipstick to a handbag, it is also the adequacy of reasoning, grammatically correct speech, manner of communication. If it is important to attract the opposite sex, then image and reputation will play a major role. Not only among acquaintances, but also in the family, at work, in relation to older people, in love with the younger generation.

Each social class of society has its own idea of the concept of image. It is important to understand that it may differ from your opinion. Clothing, manner of speaking, manner of carrying yourself, gesticulating, intonation of words and sentences are a great way for an employer or future spouse to form an opinion about you.

You need to start working on the formation of your image and reputation with an adequate analysis of yourself and your capabilities.

A stylist will help you change your appearance, a makeup artist will tell you how to properly care for your skin and do the right makeup, a psychologist will help you accept yourself and your own “I”, a dance teacher will teach you movements and the right gait. It is never too late to change the image, it is important to correctly assess yourself and the situation.

What else you need to know about the formation of the image

The image should be changed in accordance with the emerging changes in life. If, for example, you change social status, then you should think about changing the style of clothing. Sometimes the image needs to be changed in accordance with the dress code of the company you transferred to.

Image and reputation are reviewed and in accordance with age. It is important to know that if you do everything right, then the impression you will make will be positive. The element of uniqueness in creating your image should always be present. Image and reputation are not isolated from each other.

The main condition for achieving professional success is the constant activity of the inner world of a person, the ongoing work on oneself, on one's spiritual development. As people train the body and pump up the muscles, it is also necessary to train the memory, the ability to think and analyze. First of all, books will help here. Professional and fiction not only store knowledge, but also teach to think, increasing competence and positive productivity. Professionalism implies confidence and the ability to control the situation. Together with economic success, professional and career ones provide a person with a high social status.

The very same social status is determined by age, education, profession, position, prestige, material security, personal freedom, the level of legal and moral security, career and personal prospects.

Components of the image

Clothing, hairstyle, accessories, tattoos, piercings can say a lot about a person. As you know, they meet a person by clothes. Therefore, clothes can characterize a person even before he says something or introduces himself.
Personal hygiene is also equally important - well-groomed hair, nails, proper and appropriate makeup. The appearance of a person, first of all, affects his image and reputation in society.
The mimic image of a person is an expression of his face, a smile, a look. Facial expressions give out a benevolent or negative mood of a person. Many people know how to mask and carefully hide their feelings and emotions from others, but the position of the lips, eyebrows, facial expressions can tell a lot about what a person really feels.
The kinetic image of a person is gait, posture, movements, gestures. Slouching people, assuming inappropriate poses, holding their heads too high will not make the most pleasant impression. The manner of moving, holding your head, fixing your hair is another way to let other people understand your positive, kind attitude.
Verbal image and reputation are in the manner of speaking, as well as what words a person uses, how rich or poor his vocabulary is, whether he highlights words well, what intonations he uses, whether he is able to reason logically. This type is similar to a mental image that characterizes a person according to his social, religious and worldview beliefs.

The last component has by no means the most last place by importance. This is a material image, that is, all the well-being of a person: clothes, a car, an apartment, a villa by the sea, books, paintings, generic jewelry and jewelry.

The materialized image echoes this component - poems, books, dissertations, scenery, Business Cards, software products, patents, Christmas decorations, confectionery- everything that was invented, made, embodied, created by man.

Internal and external structures of the image

All three structures are closely intertwined in a person's idea of himself. Image and reputation help each person to determine their individual style, if they are harmonious and form a single image of a person.

The purpose of the image in life

The main purpose of image and reputation is to achieve the effect of personal attractiveness.

It is important for a person to win over people, no matter what he does. Whether running a business, defending a dissertation or an important project, looking for a husband or shopping in a store - everywhere it is important to be able to make a good impression and win over people. Without this skill, it is really impossible to achieve outstanding success. Therefore, it is so important to know what an image is and, if necessary, to be able to change the image.

Specialists work on creating the image: make-up artists, psychologists, dance teachers and yoga trainers, PR and marketers, producers and sociologists, speech therapists and stylists. There are schools where they teach how to do it right with the help of visual effect personality to achieve what they want. Practicing psychologists are trained in such schools. In addition to the visual component, they will teach the correct worldview and self-image, talk about ways to accept yourself and increase the attractiveness of a person’s inner appearance.

There are today and new profession- image maker. This professional will tell you how you can change the image to achieve maximum success at work, when managing a company or doing household chores. Also, the services of this specialist can be resorted to famous people in order to form a scandalous image about himself.

Image makers are advised to take their outer shell(image), as a means to achieve their plans. It is necessary every day to be well-dressed in public, neatly combed, with the right make-up, behave appropriately, watch your words, gestures and even gait. That is, his reputation should be conscious and thought out to such trifles as, for example, clothes, accessories, greetings, topics of conversation, attitude towards other people, everyday positive mood and gratitude.

For company executives, it can also be energy, steadfastness, for subordinate employees - punctuality, for housewives - caring, etc. Then the person will make a good impression. And he will be accompanied by success in all plans, deeds, and not just in personal relationships.

The purpose of the image, mainly, is to assert itself in one's own eyes and improve one's own sense of one's "I", to take in society best position, that is, if possible, correspond to certain stereotypes in social group, achieve a certain goal in a career plan or in a financial environment.

Socio-psychological analysis of the image

The concept of image with a high degree of confidence can be called an interdisciplinary concept, since its formation took place in many sciences at the same time, generalizing knowledge in accordance with the goals and objectives of each science. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the process of the formation of this concept was studied mainly by psychologists and sociologists.

Man today, in the twenty-first century, living in a new information society, is valuable only as a person capable of self-expression and having undeniable success in all areas of his life. At the same time, the individual expression of each person occurs more and more with the help of information technologies: social networking and virtual communication. Living human in this case is simply replaced by symbolic communication in order to exchange information.

The roles that a person performs every day in the family, at work or in a cafe become symbolic. A certain image and reputation of a person are created depending on the environment in which a person has to be on a daily basis.

In man, mainly due to the influence of means mass media formed its own idea of the concept of image. This is the image of a person through the eyes of other people, a whole range of stereotypes that are fixed to our personality in the minds of people, as well as our idea of ourselves, which in one way or another is capable of being transmitted to others; external picture of personality in social networks and its attractiveness to other people, read through the “like” signs in the profile on social networks.

1.1. The concept of image.

The word "image" comes from the English concept of "representation", "image". Image in the generally accepted sense is understood as the impression made by a specific person or company, organization, on others. Usually the word "image" is applied to people.

The origin of the concept of "image" very accurately characterizes its meaning: an image is not what a person really is, not the totality of his personal characteristics, but the image that is created in relation to this person by the people around him, or people who create an impression of him with the help of the media. Often the image of a person is very different from the personality itself.

In recent decades, the issue of image formation has become very great importance. The influence of a person on most of the environment is carried out precisely through the image, therefore right choice image is the key to the success of many events. The problem of creating an image is especially important for politicians, representatives of show business, people of creative professions. But these people are traditionally engaged in image creation. Recently, society has realized that image formation is also important for representatives of other professions and social groups. The importance of image in business has increased. There are many agencies around the world that specialize in creating an image. In Russia, this business is just beginning to take shape.

In politics, the importance of the image is difficult to overestimate. For example, in the United States, all presidential campaigns in this century, with the exception of one (when Jimmy Carter won), were won by a taller candidate. And the reluctance of Michael Dukakis, the Democratic nominee in 1988, to wear shoulder pads to make himself look bigger was cited by the press as one of the decisive factors that determined his party's position. The wives of politicians also have to find the “right” image, for example, Hillary Clinton has turned from a “mouse with glasses” into a “blonde with a magnificent bust”. Margaret Thatcher changed her hair, teeth, dressing style and even her voice.

As politicians increasingly turn to the media to publicize themselves instead of touring for live communication, the way they present their image will become increasingly important. The mass media deal mainly with the image, their representatives know how to present people and events and how readers, listeners and viewers will perceive them.

It is for this reason that many organizations now send their employees to training courses on how to stand in front of a TV camera and talk to journalists. However, learning to communicate with the media loses all meaning if the speaker does not take into account such important point like self-presentation. The reputation of an organization or company can go down or up depending on how its employees portray themselves in the media.

People, as well as the media, approach the assessment of society in terms of image. With the help of the image, a person shows what place in society he assigns to himself. For example, a female entrepreneur may in various situations present herself as a feminist, as an entrepreneur, and as a working mother, and use these labels in order to better feel what social cell she is in.

At any given time, society has a particular value system. The image that a person demonstrates in society shows how these values are consonant with his beliefs. For example, in the sixties, many people chose the image of rebels, protesting against the conservatism of the fifties. In the eighties, the image of a smart businessman became fashionable, then it became fashionable to be an informal professing alternative views.

1.2 Self-image. Factors influencing the formation of the image.

The image presented by a person to the world around him is often perceived by other people as a reflection of his level of self-esteem. The manifestation of interest in self-improvement, expressed in the desire to get a clear idea of one's own psychology or the desire to correct one's self-presentation, shows that a person has reached a certain level of self-esteem, has taken place as a person and has the potential for growth and improvement.

The ability to present oneself includes the ability to appreciate one’s positive aspects and understand what weak spots. What a particular person may perceive as a disadvantage is not necessarily so for others. For example, if two shy people meet, their shyness helps them to like each other. A person may have excess weight and be ashamed of your size. But a plump person who takes his complexes for granted, is healthy and vigorous, dresses with taste and realizes that he loves to communicate, can have a completely attractive image.

Self-image is subject to all kinds of influences, and the strongest influence on it comes from parents and upbringing. The child is largely shaped by the parents, providing him with a certain view of himself. If a person was not sufficiently encouraged in childhood by parents and caregivers, he may develop a tendency to excessive self-criticism. Such a person will set too high standards of behavior for himself and for others and be upset because of the impossibility of achieving them.

Another factor influencing the formation of a person's idea of himself is life experience. Many people, having only once experienced an unpleasant experience when speaking in front of an audience, consider themselves completely unsuitable for public speaking. The disapproving remarks of others only strengthen them in this opinion. If from day to day a person learns own experience and by the reaction of others that he is not appreciated, then self-esteem may be too heavy for him. The only counterbalance to this can be a sufficient supply of self-respect and awareness of one's achievements.

If self-esteem is too low, improving the "external" image will only have a limited effect. In this case, the problem should be solved with the help of a professional consultant, psychotherapist or psychoanalyst.

The level of self-esteem can be increased by working on the presentation of the image as a whole. For example, if a person has learned to overcome nervousness while speaking in public, others will notice his confidence and begin to react accordingly. The audience will be looking forward to what he has to say next. If a person cares about his appearance, others conclude that he respects and appreciates himself as an individual, and therefore is able to appreciate others.

At the heart of people's assessment of the appearance, statements and behavior of other people are two basic needs - identification and expression of individuality. People need belonging and identification with their own kind, and at the same time, they feel the need to assert their individuality. All people have both of these needs. They have a decisive influence on the desire of a person to present himself and his interaction with others.

A person can express belonging and identification with other people in the following ways:

Appearance. Clothing can signal that a person seeks to merge with a certain group of people, that he is a member of a clan.

Posture and body language. Representatives of the same social group have similar mannerisms.

The manner of speaking. It is human nature to imitate in this the representatives of social groups attractive to him.

language. Many social groups have their own slang, incomprehensible to representatives of other groups.

Accessories. Membership in a particular social group can be indicated mobile phone, a certain style of tie, watch, etc.

By your surroundings. The latest interior design for a home or office may indicate that its owner considers himself to be among a select group of fashion leaders.

Individuality can be expressed using the same means, but using them in a slightly different way:

Appearance. Provocative clothes and an unusual haircut separate a person from others, especially if he is engaged in some traditional business at work.

Posture and body language. In a situation where a person is at odds with others, body language (facial expressions, gestures, posture), he can show that he thinks differently than the rest of the group.

language. To establish superiority over others, some introduce complex language constructions into speech.

Accessories. Diamond pendants, hand-painted scarves, antique pocket watches and other trinkets reflect success and show the level of social and financial status.

By your surroundings. Personality is sometimes expressed through interesting works art, unusual furniture etc.

The two basic needs are joined by other fundamental needs. The strength of the desire to win approval and recognition from other people, the desire to adapt to their needs is associated with the need for belonging and identification. The desire to emphasize individuality is associated with such tasks as highlighting oneself, emphasizing one's successes and demonstrating the presence of one's own reasoned opinion.

All actions and actions of a person, including those performed during the presentation of the image, are determined by balancing two basic needs.

Subordinates, corresponding to the prevailing type corporate culture. Conclusion The purpose of the course research is achieved through the implementation of the tasks. As a result of the study on the topic "The image of the head of a state institution, and a joint-stock company, LLC (not state structures)", a number of conclusions can be drawn. The image is a complex multifactorial phenomenon, and when it ...

He lost because he wore short black socks and during an important interview he showed a piece of an open leg between the trouser leg and the sock. part of the corporate image, ...

For example, if a person has a small stature, it can be shown on television, filming from below, or away from tall people. 2.2 Internal and external image of the leader As mentioned above, the image of the leader can be divided into "internal" and "external". The "internal" image is characterized by the relationship between the head and the staff of the organization, more precisely, the perception of the head ...