- 13 Sep, 2026
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How Much Do First Impressions Really Matter?
Avoid crossing your arms or avoiding eye contact, as these can signal disinterest. So how can we use this new knowledge to our advantage when making a first impression? People love to feel seen and heard, so make sure to maintain eye contact, ask thoughtful questions, and really listen to their answers.
It signals that you’re genuinely interested in the interaction and value the other youragemeets app download person’s presence. Conversely, avoiding eye contact may be interpreted as disinterest, insecurity, or even dishonesty. I was blown away with their application and translation of behavioral science into practice. They took a very complex ecosystem and created a series of interventions using an innovative mix of the latest research and creative client co-creation. I was so impressed at the final product they created, which was hugely comprehensive despite the large scope of the client being of the world’s most far-reaching and best known consumer brands.
In situations where age bias is prevalent, people tend to perceive younger individuals positively. People often view older individuals negatively, regardless of their actual health status, even if they are in prime health. Nonverbal cues—body language, facial expressions, and appearance—carry significant weight in how we judge others and how we’re judged. The intuitions that guide our social interactions are largely innate, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to overcome them. If we understand how our intuitions work, we can avoid pitfalls and guide them to our advantage.
Research indicates that interviewers form impressions within the first 6-30 seconds of meeting candidates, and these initial judgments predict hiring decisions with 60-80% accuracy. They form through thin-slicing, shaped by appearance, body language, tone, and bias. Thanks to the primacy effect, those early judgments often linger, coloring everything that follows. While they can sometimes be surprisingly accurate, they are also vulnerable to distortion, stereotypes, and misinterpretation.
Research shows that men tend to prefer women with baby-face qualities as sexual partners, presumably because these features signal youth and fertility. The first facial cue is “babyfaceness”—that is, having a baby-like face. Plenty of evidence shows we have an innate tendency to find baby faces appealing. Savvy public speakers know a baby picture or two in their PowerPoint slides will elicit “oohs” and “aahs” from their audience. Likewise, videos of babies and kittens (which also have baby faces) are among the most popular on YouTube. Research reveals the value of sharing your personal pursuits as well as your resume.
- In their drive to explore what it is that makes some people open books, while others are harder to read, Lauren Gazzard Kerr and Lauren Human explored whether differences in wellbeing might matter, too.
- Over the next three seconds, we form a more “complete” conclusion about a new acquaintance relating to their presumed personality and competence.
- It makes evolutionary sense to have an inborn soft spot for babies, who need to be protected and cared for.
The Impact Of First Impressions In Academic And Campus Life
Whether we like it or not, it seems our brains are wired to make these quick judgments, and they often stick. But the effects of these snap impressions go far beyond just casual social encounters. For more than a decade, Princeton psychologist Alexander Todorov has studied the irresistible but faulty first impressions people form when they see a face for the first time. So, next time you walk into that sales meeting, job interview, or networking event, be mindful of that first glance, moderate your pitch, and give a nice firm quick handshake. Though it may sound harsh, this work suggests that for people with low self-esteem, being perceived accurately in a romantic context might be unhelpful – assuming that their goal is to be liked.
However, first impressions are not infallible; cultural differences and physical appearance can distort perceptions, leading to biased judgments. For example, individuals deemed attractive are often assumed to possess a range of positive traits, while those with “baby face” features might be inaccurately perceived as more trustworthy. Overall, while first impressions can provide valuable information, they also highlight the complexities and potential pitfalls of human social intuition.
He is a bestselling author of Intention – a book he wrote with Wiley on the mindful application of behavioral science in organizations. Dan has a background in organizational decision making, with a BComm in Decision & Information Systems from McGill University. He has worked on enterprise-level behavioral architecture at TD Securities and BMO Capital Markets, where he advised management on the implementation of systems processing billions of dollars per week. Driven by an appetite for the latest in technology, Dan created a course on business intelligence and lectured at McGill University, and has applied behavioral science to topics such as augmented and virtual reality. Moreover, the first encounter’s impact can be compounded by our own biases and experiences.
In part, this stems from the fact that our innate facial-processing mechanisms lead us to believe in a correlation between facial features and personality characteristics. Research shows that people often base their initial impressions of someone based on their appearance, including factors like clothing, gender, age, and race (Zebrowitz, 2017). Now that we understand the basics and the science behind first impressions, we can examine how the impact of a first impression can go far beyond social settings. In job interviews, studies show that interviewers often decide within the first few seconds whether a candidate is a good fit (Kurter, 2019).
Iii) Authenticity-While appearance and body language matter, forced personas often backfire. The good news is that first impressions, though sticky, are not set in stone. With awareness and intentionality, they can be shaped, or even reshaped over time.
Professional Growth
It may take more effort than making the first impression, but second chances are possible. I) Acknowledge the gap -If appropriate, a light, self-aware comment can reset the tone (e.g., “I think I came across as rushed earlier – it’s been a hectic morning, but I’m glad we have this chance to connect properly”). Iii) Attribution Errors – We may misinterpret behavior (e.g., reading shyness as arrogance or enthusiasm as overconfidence). For years, we’ve been told that technology would transform how people buy. In a short amount of time, artificial intelligence has drastically transformed creative production. Knowing and acting on what is shown to work to create better first impressions will help you do just that.
First impressions are not only formed quickly but are also encoded into memory, affecting future interactions. To sum up, there’s no way to avoid making decisions about people, whether you’re the judger or the one being judged. Knowing the limitations of the judging process can help you turn your first impression into your best impression. Rather than place too much confidence in your hunches, try to take a more measured and objective approach as you learn from the outcomes of the decisions you make about people.
This is due to the tendency of people to respond to babies in amanner that is protective and inhibits aggression. This perception of people with baby-like features as warm and low in power has significant implications. It is apparent in the general perception of women as submissive and incompetent in comparison to men, because of their baby-like features. First impressions are fast, powerful, and inescapable—but they don’t have to be final. With consistent behavior and emotional connection, you can reshape someone’s initial judgment over time.
The Science Of First Impressions: What Actually Matters And Why It Sticks
Understanding the psychology of first impressions has practical applications in various fields, including business, education and law enforcement. Recognizing the factors that influence initial judgments can lead to more effective communication strategies and help mitigate unintended biases. Similarly, research by Ambady and Rosenthal (1992) demonstrated that brief video clips of individuals interacting with others provided enough information for people to make accurate judgments about the person’s personality. Participants accurately predicted whether a teacher would be judged as warm, cold, or tough based on a 30-second silent video clip.
But especially when it comes to making important decisions, I really try to minimize their influence. With these elements in place, now consider whether the “right” or “wrong” choice will follow from the first impression. Indeed, the team notes, how can you even decide whether a decision is valid or biased? A valid decision would be one in which the perceptions match the “facts.” You’ve sold your precious bedroom dresser to someone who writes back with a warm thank-you and expresses pleasure at how well it fits into their apartment.
After years of navigating life’s emotional highs and lows, I realised that what people crave isn’t just information—they want belonging, encouragement, and heart. Let’s dive into the fascinating psychology behind first impressions and uncover what truly matters when it comes to making a lasting impact. This study also found that women participating in video calls were consistently viewed as being more trustworthy and competent than men, regardless of their background – and, for men and women, smiling boosted these ratings. “Research tells us that you have to meet someone seven more times to change a first impression,” AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Brandt said. Posture, gestures, and the way someone carries themselves can suggest confidence, openness, or defensiveness. For example, crossing arms may be read as closed-off (even if it’s just comfortable), while leaning in signals engagement.
Conversely, the horn effect means a single negative trait can unfairly color your perception of everything else about a person. We can live a lifetime never being clear about whether or not we ever actually trusted ourselves. It tells me that what I’m doing matters—and that I’m not alone in this mission to bring light into people’s lives. It’s no accident that physiognomy becomes so popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is the time of big industrial migration, when big groups of strangers are brought together.
Engage in active listening, ask open-ended questions, and seek out diverse perspectives in your classes and organizations. Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today. We’re all holding onto something we’re sure we can’t give up on, but research shows that letting go can boost our happiness a lot more than we might think.
In all likelihood our inclination to make these snap judgements is rooted in our early evolutionary need to determine whether or not a stranger poses a threat. The ability to quickly recognize the expression on a strangers’ face and the intent their posture is signaling could mean the difference between extending your hand or running for your life. One of the most uplifting findings in the field of first impressions comes from well-publicised studies of both adults and children, which concluded that after a first meeting, other people tend to like us more than we think. All of these participants first completed general personality questionnaires and a measure of their self-esteem. Then, after each meeting, they reported on how much they liked – or were romantically interested in – the other person, and rated what they perceived their personality to be.