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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the significance that clothing and appearance has on impression formation and hence, membership selection during the sorority recruitment process. Personal characteristics such as self-monitoring, materialism, fashion clothing involvement, proximity of clothing to self, and self-esteem behaviors were studied and tested as predictors and influences of impression formation. A total of 140 surveys were completed by sorority members. Pearson Correlation analyses were used to test the relationships among thevariables. Results indicated significant relationships between the individual independent variables (self-monitoring, materialism, fashion clothing involvement, and proximity of clothing to self) and impression formation as they relate to clothing and appearance. Self-esteem characteristics had no considerable impact on impression formation. Regression analyses were used to determine which variables had significant influence on membership selection. Fashion clothing involvement, materialism, proximity of clothing to self, and impression formation were found to most significantly impact sorority membership selection.