People tend to have both public and private selves, creating different images in their own minds, and in the minds of others. High self-monitoring individuals (SMIs), as identified through the Self Monitoring Scale, observe their public images and adapt them to produce desired effects. They tend to see themselves as pragmatic, flexible, and role-oriented. Their self-presentational skills are often used to promote smooth social interactions, to provide leadership, and to promote diplomacy. By contrast, low SMIs tend to maintain a consistent self-image regardless of the situation. They view themselves as principled, congruent, and trait or disposition-oriented. Their self-presentation reflects their mood state, personality attributes, and expressive behavior, suggesting they do well in interpersonal relationships and fields where intimacy is important. Both high and low SMIs use thier skills to create social worlds in which their personality needs can be met. In social interactions, high SMIs prefer conversations with high clarity of definition in character and role, while low SMIs prefer conversations in which they feel similar to a member of the group. In leisure activities, high SMIs choose to spend time with "specialists" in the activity, while low SMIs choose to spend time with well liked individuals. Both high and low SMIs tend to form friendships with similarly high or low individuals. Although both types of selves have advantages and disadvantages, high SMIs pay for their orientation through the continual discrepancy between their true feelings and attitudes and their actions. Future research should focus on developmental roots and societal roles of high and low SMIs. (BL)