Becoming motivated to be a good actor in a student project team

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model that addresses how student citizenship behavior (CB) may be motivated by management of impression in a team-based project using peer evaluations. Design/methodology/approach: This study applies impression management (IM) theory as the theoretical lens to explore the impact of IM tactics, in the forms of task-, self- and peer-focused tactics, on student CB in a team-based project using peer evaluations. Findings: This paper posits that task-, self- and peer-focused IM tactics positively influence a student’s CB in a team-based project when peer evaluations are used. Furthermore, it is proposed that the relative weight of a peer evaluation strengthens the relationship between the three IM tactics and a student’s CB. Originality/value: From a theoretical standpoint, this study extends IM–CB relationship from the employment setting to the academic setting. More importantly, this study offers crucial recommendations for instructors that may help improve the effectiveness of peer evaluations.