Parents of children who stutter join a group of speech-language experts to talk compassionately and directly about what has worked for them as they interact with their child.

Everyone has said and done things that constitute what Professor Leary calls "self-presentational disasters." Generally, the consequences are minor, if uncomfortable. Discover common mishaps, as well as more critical, life-changing mistakes, and the many strategies we employ to mitigate the damage to our image once it has been done.

Professor Leary takes viewers into the compelling world of impression management--from physical appearance and body language to verbal cues and explicit statements about ourselves. Learn about the wide variety of tactics we use to get people to see us in particular ways in our efforts to reach the goals we would like to attain.

Know your audience. Learn why their impressions matter and how we shift from one self-presentational performance to another, depending on the values of the people with whom we interact. In our efforts to be seen as likable, competent, and virtuous, we tailor our self-presentation to the preferences of those around us.

Sometimes other people's impressions of us are particularly important--for example, when we are on a first date or giving a public speech. In these cases, we might feel the warning pangs of social anxiety because the fear of making an undesired impression is both real and justified. Although social anxiety is certainly uncomfortable, learn why it is essential to our social well-being.

Follow Professor Mark Leary of Duke University through the basics of self-presentation, his primary area of scholarship for more than 40 years in the field of social psychology. Discover both how we form impressions about other people in everyday life and how we attempt to manage their impressions of us.

The balance that all humans strike between conformity and individuality has critical bearing on the quality and happiness of our lives. Although we are often reminded of the importance of individuality, it is actually conformity that allows us to function as social animals. Explore the role that self-presentation plays in finding "optimal distinctiveness."