The impact of social capital on impression management tactics among nurses: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background Impression management tactics represent important behavioral strategies through which employees navigate social and organizational interactions, including within healthcare settings. However, the relationship between nurses’ social capital and their use of impression management tactics, as well as the potential variation of this relationship across demographic and structural characteristics, remains insufficiently explored. Aim This study aimed to examine the relationship between social capital and impression management tactics among nurses, and to determine the potential moderating roles of selected demographic and structural variables in this relationship. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 756 nurses from various healthcare facilities in Türkiye. Data were collected using two self-report scales. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) were employed to examine the proposed relationships and moderation hypotheses. Results Nurses reported moderate levels of social capital (x̄ = 3.344 ± 0.572) and impression management tactics (x̄ = 3.307 ± 0.584). Social capital was positively associated with overall impression management tactics (β = 0.433, p < 0.001), as well as with the self-promotion (β = 0.384, p < 0.001) and defensive (β = 0.411, p < 0.001) sub-dimensions. The strength of these associations differed according to gender, age, and tenure, whereas no significant moderating effects were observed for marital status, education level, income, or institution type. The positive association between social capital and impression management tactics was stronger among male and younger nurses than among female and older nurses. Among tenure groups, the association was strongest among nurses with 1–3 years of tenure (β = 0.566, p < 0.001, R² = 0.320), whereas it was not statistically significant among nurses with more than 12 years of tenure (β = 0.036, p = 0.455, R² = 0.001). Conclusion Social capital represents an important relational resource associated with nurses’ impression management tactics, with its influence varying across different demographic and structural contexts. These findings extend current understanding of impression management by highlighting the role of interpersonal resources in nursing behavior, suggesting that social capital may complement more traditional explanations emphasizing altruism and adherence to clinical protocols. They also underscore the value of strengthening workplace social capital as a means of fostering constructive professional interactions and provide a foundation for future longitudinal research examining how relational resources shape impression management over time. Clinical trial number Not applicable.