What are problems with first impressions?
A common problem with first impressions is the insufficient quantity, quality and accuracy of what is seen, heard or experienced. That doesn't always lead to helpful perception, analysis and judgment.
Behavioral scientists call it the first impression bias: a limitation in human information processing that causes us to make quick and incomplete observations about others based on the first piece of information we perceive. First impressions are often very important, as they lead to quick assumptions and judgements.
Our present emotional state also can impact the way we act. And plus, a quick meeting with a short time undoubtedly limits our ability to get to know someone so that no wonder we can end up judging someone just based on their impressions. Additionally, people aren't easy to figure out.
Example: Susan makes a positive initial impression on the interview team because of her background in trial work. She aced the answer to the first question that was about trial preparation. However, the rest of her answers were weak and rather vague.
A type of impression evidence created when contact between two surfaces results in a removal of material where contact occurred.
Negative impression − An impression that results when the contact area of a shoe or tire removes residue (such as dust, paint or some spilled substance) from a surface, leaving behind a “clean” image of the print in the residue.
The reason behind this phenomenon is that the first impression sets the ball rolling, and every subsequent meeting or impression is most likely an extension of that. That's why you should consider that the first impression is the last impression and prepare accordingly.
First Impressions Last
The reason why first impressions are so important is that they last well beyond that moment. This is thanks to something called the primacy effect, which means that when someone experiences something before other things in a sequence, they remember that first thing more.
“I would never give anyone a blanket statement that they should trust their first impressions, or not,” says Tufts psychologist Nalini Ambady. “That's too dependent on the person, the context of the first impression, everything.” In other words, be wary of first impressions.
- Take the opportunity to gain perspective. ...
- Assess the situation. ...
- Seek out opportunities for more interactions. ...
- Address the situation. ...
- Get feedback. ...
- Mentally prepare. ...
- Be punctual. ...
- Dress appropriately.
How are first impressions impossible to change?
The reason people don't often change their initial impressions is that our brain is optimized to conserve energy; if there's not a compelling reason to re-evaluate something, then we won't. So you need to manufacture a reason by surprising them.
For example
American movies often give a false impression of what life's like for most Americans. News reports created the impression that we were winning the war, but that impression was false.
Poor impressions usually are caused by one or more of the following mistakes: The use of poor, thin, or colored ink resulting in impressions too light or too faint or with obliterated ridges. Best results are obtained by using heavy, black printer's ink. This is a paste, and it should not be thinned before using.
Factors that can influence the impressions you form of other people include the characteristics of the person you are observing, the context of the situation, your own personal traits, and your past experiences. People often form impressions of others very quickly, with only minimal information.
Unfortunately for us, as humans we cannot see past a person's looks as we can only see what the eye allows us to. Therefore, first impressions are often the worst means of judging a person because you truly don't know anything about the person and just see the “cover of the book”.
- Latent. The skin has deposits of oil and perspiration that normally coat the surface. ...
- Patent. ...
- Plastic or Molded.
- Realize that an initial impression is just that – a beginning. ...
- Remember that repeated, small interactions build trust fastest. ...
- Ask for a chance to correct. ...
- Remind the other person how open-minded he or she is. ...
- Ask them for advice – on anything.
- Show Up Late. Nobody likes waiting around for somebody else. ...
- Talk Too Much. You can't properly serve the customer unless you listen to what their needs are.
- Check Your Phone. That text can wait. ...
- Bring Up Politics. ...
- Forget Someone's Name. ...
- Ask When the Baby's Due.
First, impression management is difficult. For example, for employees who are not politically skilled, the more impression management work they conduct, the more undesirable social images they make in their supervisors' eyes. Second, impression management is full of uncertainties.
First impressions are important in interactions as they allow for the prediction of future behaviour8, which, if these judgements are inaccurate, could lead humans to put themselves at risk.