...First Impressions First impressions are made every day in our social, business, and educational world. They are our first judgment and opinion of someone’s character. First impressions can be made in person, or from a distance through communication with someone we have not yet met in person. First impressions can even be made indirectly by people who observe us and our interactions with others. Ultimately, upon meeting someone new, “we walk away from them with a first impression that is like a Polaroid picture – a head-to-toe image that develops instantly and never entirely fades” (Flora, 2004). First impressions are formed rather quickly. “Psychologists, writers and seminar leaders caution that we only have from seven to seventeen seconds of interacting with strangers before they form an opinion of us” (Lampton, n.d.). This means that we have a very limited amount of time to either make a good or bad first impression. There are a number of factors that can influence ones first impression of another individual. Physical characteristics, such as style of dress, hygiene, facial expressions, and mannerisms can all play a role in forming an opinion of a person. Non-physical characteristics such as attitude, perceived level of friendliness, general demeanor, punctuality and preparedness can also help in forming opinions of others. Additionally, communication style, tone of voice, and level of confidence also aid in helping to form an opinion of another. ...
Words: 902 - Pages: 4
...FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND THEIR POWER, How first impressions strike us and their power to change actions Jacob XXXXXX CSU-Global ABSTRACT ------------------------------------------------- This paper will look at first impressions, how they strike us, the powerful ways in which they change our behavior and affect our decisions. How first impressions strike us and their power to change actions First impressions strike us in many different ways. They are often a powerful inhibitor which change the ways in which we would interact with others around us. Often times they are not indicative of the person we are meeting, yet they can permanently alter the ways in which we view others and the ways in which we interact with others. They are however not always permanent impressions. Many times a first impression can be less than desirable for many reasons. Such reasons can range from a person feeling under the weather, a person having unrelated stressors affecting their behavior to an unplanned and inconvenient meeting of two people. When a first impression is less than desirable for the meete, the meetor can tend to make certain assumptions about the meete. These assumptions can range from believing that the meete is less than capable at a particular task/job to believing that the meete is perhaps an undereducated and unmotivated person. However, the same can be said in reciprocal. Take for example a person who has nothing more than a high school diploma and a slightly better...
Words: 829 - Pages: 4
...Initial impressions of Gatsby - Chapters 1-4 We see and hear relatively little of Gatsby in the opening chapter of the novel; he is presented as an almost ephemeral, ghost like figure. However we are drawn to his character by the way he is described: ‘There was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life’. Consequently, Every time he is mentioned there is always something to interrupt which adds to the mysteriousness of his character. At the end of chapter 1 we catch a glimpse of him where he is bonded with strong romantic imagery, he comes out to see ‘the silver pepper of the stars’ and is spotted when ‘the silhouette of a moving cat wavered across the moonlight’. Fitzgerald combines the purity and romance of Gatsby’s dream with these symbols. On the contrary when he gives a ‘sudden imitation that he was content to be alone’ by stretching out his arms towards the ‘dark water in a curious way’ the purity of his character seems to disappear as the ‘single green light, minute and far away’ suggests the ill omen of his character. In Chapter 3 Fitzgerald uses the part scene to introduce Gatsby to the reader, here Gatsby emerges as a mysterious character who is the subject of gossip, He is well known but ironically nobody seems to have any verifiable information about him. Nick then describes him and says ‘he had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it’ the way Gatsby us portrayed is one of extreme modesty, he appears...
Words: 399 - Pages: 2
...First Impressions Tyler Gustafson ORG 300 Applying Leadership Principles Colorado State University – Global Campus Dr. Barbara-Leigh Tonelli March 19, 2014 First Impressions First impressions play a big role in determining the dynamic of a conversation or meeting. It is important for a person to be perceived as they have intended. Many people are quick to judge others just on their appearance alone, but ultimately the words and gestures people use in that first meeting are often what solidify your full impression of an individual. How you dress and carry yourself is big when it comes to first impressions. Someone in a suit and tie will come across as accomplished and educated. A person in baggy sweats or holy jeans may come across as a thug or someone of lower class. These are merely stereotypes and unfortunately this is how we often characterize a person at first. How someone dresses, though, is not necessarily who they are as a person. The man in a suit may have to wear that for work or just came from a wedding or funeral where as the man in baggy sweats may just be having a bad day or may be in desperate need of doing some laundry. What we wear may be that first indicator of how someone may perceive us, but it’s not the only aspect people use in determining someone as a whole on that first meeting. A persons gestures, posture, and tone of voice finalize your first impression. Relationships, whether professional, intimate, or casual, are built on communication...
Words: 1186 - Pages: 5
...Beauty, power, wealth, status …. the world around us is continuously evolving through technology and we are expected to keep up with various trends. Phone companies are constantly updating models of the same product to entice buyers, news agencies are constantly trying to out-do each other for ratings on trending topics. The pressure to remain relevant is high and it’s no wonder it trickles down to our personal and professional lives. Making the right impression on people around us has never been more important than now. A popular example of the worst impression management mistake is the case of Justine Sacco, a former PR executive whose irreverent use of social media ruined her professional image in a matter of seconds. (Brian Stelter, CNN). What I find disappointing about Sacco is a consistent pattern of racial and offensive tweets that portray her as a disturbed personality. Not only did she reveal her lack of knowledge about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, she prompted bigger debate on the stigmatization haunting the continent and making it harder to fight the disease. As a Public Relations expert from South Africa, it was rather ironic that Justine Sacco held such opinions. However, social media can be addictive if we let it get out of control. Despite the fact that Justine Sacco’s account was personal, it’s important to note that she was the face and voice of the organization she worked for. Her job was to decide how the company communicates its message to the world...
Words: 790 - Pages: 4
...Psychology of First Impressions Name Institution Psychology of First Impressions Introduction In life, human beings get to play different roles and to be different things to a variety of people. The identities that individuals claim as well as the roles people assume in the interpersonal, social, and organizational settings are not often complicated, and everyone can be considered as actors demonstrating different characters in our quest to please other. As people experience differing social scenarios, many tend to alter or modify their behaviors to be perceived well by other. Such action is termed as Impression Management (IM). Hence, the manner in which individuals perceive others is of importance in social settings and interpersonal relations and thus tends to affect human lives. As individuals experience diverse social situations from the moment they step out of the house until the evening, people often carry themselves in a way that ensures others perceive them positively. Individuals draw trait assumptions from the appearance of subjects including facial appearance and body posture among others. A short time of contact and exposure correlates with the judgment made by others, demonstrating that exposure time is sufficient for individuals to form an impression. This paper discusses the concept of first impression and how they are perceived and incorporates tactics such as IM (Impression Management), self-presentation...
Words: 1586 - Pages: 7
...We never get a second chance to make a first impression Communication is the art of convincing others. A key to effective communication is to make a good first impression. Once we set a good first impression, they frequently stay with us for the life of the relationship. Unfortunately, bad fist impressions have a way of ending even the most profitable relationships before they begin. An initial impression-- whether it is good or bad-- is made within the first three seconds. The first few moments of any contact often affect our relationship with the individual for a lifetime. With our customers, the outcome of the first impression we make can affect our style of life for years to come. Everything we do and say—or fail to do and say—will ultimately affect the impression we make on the people we meet. The key variables that can make the first impression good are voice, appearance, cultural considerations, eye contact, body language, interests, smile, listener, and feel important. Voice can make or break us before we even meet our prospect face to face. If a salesperson speaks badly—mumbles, whines, talks too fast—it can turn people off. To overcome mumbling, we should take the time to enunciate our words. We should slow down, punctuate our speech using phrases& pauses to meet the people. A “vocal workout” using long, sustained sounds and vowel exercises will add power to our voice. Appearance: Are we clean or neat? Are our clothes not neat, but appropriate for the job at hand...
Words: 648 - Pages: 3
...IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT In social psychology, impression management is a goal-directed conscious or unconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event they do so by regulating and controlling information in social interaction. It is usually used synonymously with self-presentation, in which a person tries to influence the perception of their image. The notion of impression management also refers to practices in professional communication and public relations, where the term is used to describe the process of formation of a company's or organization's public image. SELF PRESENTATION: While impression management and self-presentation or giving Face are often used interchangeably, some authors have argued that they are not the same. In particular, Schlenker (1980) believed that self-presentation should be used to describe attempts to control ‘self-relevant’ images projected in “real or imagined social interactions’. This is because people may manage impressions of entities other than themselves such as businesses, cities and other individuals. MOTIVES AND STRATEGIES: People adopt many different impression management strategies. One of them is ingratiation, where we use flattery or praise to increase our social attractiveness by highlighting our better characteristics so that others will like us. Another strategy is intimidation, which is aggressively showing anger to get...
Words: 1284 - Pages: 6
...Do First Impressions Matter? A first impression is when we encounter a person for the first time and form a mental image of that person. Personally, I think that first impressions can be often misleading. Many people judge a person mainly by their physical appearance but don’t take into account the persons interior aspects like personality and background. To form an accurate impression of someone we must not be so quick to judge and actually take some time to get to know the person. Sometimes our first impression of someone is correct and other times it is not. We have all met that one person that seemed to be great when we first met them and as we got to know them more our views started to change and we start to think differently about them. Another example is when we meet a person and we do not really like them at first, maybe sometimes really dislike, but then we talk to them and they turn out to be a really great friend. This has happened to me many times and its taught me to give people a chance to show who they really are. Just like a book, we can judge it by its cover but once we start reading it is when we can really decide whether we like it or not. On the other hand, I think first impressions are very important in the business world and when it comes to job interviews. First impressions matter when we first meet with a potential employer for an interview. Employers are more likely to hire a person who looks presentable rather than a person who does not look...
Words: 322 - Pages: 2
...First impressions strike us quickly and come from a two areas of the brain. The amygdala controls and moderates our motivations, allowing us to navigate our social world. (Starr, 2013) The posterior cingular cortex (PCC) is the seat of autobiographical memory, attention and emotional influence in memory. (Starr, 2013) The PCC is also active when we decide the value of things, make choices, gamble, etc. According to Starr, meeting people activates the same region of the brain responsible for assigning prices to objects. So a first impression of someone basically assigns a value to that person based on our own ideas, morals, religion, etc. This all happens extremely quickly. Taking into account that the amygdala also controls fear and alerts us to possible danger, it is easy to see how fast a first impression can come. If you are walking on the path in a forest and see something that could be a snake, the lightning like fight or flight response you get comes from the amygdala assessing the threat. This is the same part of the brain that creates first impressions, so you can see how quickly they are made. When I picture John after reading the first scenario, I see a confident, friendly person who eagerly talks to many people throughout his day. I see a man who knows who he is as a person and is very likeable. The scenario seems to show him as a very likeable individual who is very full of life and outgoing. I can almost see him smiling as he walks around, just enjoying...
Words: 765 - Pages: 4
...Tell me what happened to Malcolm Gladwell regarding first Impressions. Has anything like this happen to you? Or have you done that to someone else. Give examples Mr. Gladwell, used examples to show the different forms of first impressions, with using his examples he used to different time intervals that were very short and all the results became identical to the initial findings. His findings prove the old expression, you can only make a first impression once. This study shows how important first impression is based on the persons characteristics, the way they dress, and their body language confidence are all highly important factors that we need to consider. Of course, I’ve made judgments of somebody whether I was right or wrong within my...
Words: 263 - Pages: 2
...Before I make my big speech, think about your first impression of me when I got up here? Am I pretty, do I seem confident, nice, shy, mean? Or are you a person who doesn’t like to judge. There IS huge societal push to not judge a book by it’s cover, but the fact of the matter is, we do, whether we realize it or not. There is literally nothing you can do to change that, and that’s a huge part of what makes you human From the moment you are born. * There are seemingly infinite factors that go in to the development of relationships, but I want to give you a bit of scientific, psychological, and sociological knowledge about the moment they start, and what that means to you as a human * Because - The moment we see someone new, a snap judgment is made and a first impression is in the works. * I said that we start to judge as soon as we see someone, and it’s true * In the first 25th of a second, our senses are processing loads of new information * After a longer period of time has passed, say one tenth of a second we have judged their * Attractiveness * Likeability * Trustworthiness * After five seconds of watching a stranger chat with a member of the opposite sex we have ascertained * Extraversion * Conscientiousness * And intelligence -we do this because relationships are derived from rewards * What others can do for us -Over the millennia, we have ingrained this into our very...
Words: 705 - Pages: 3
...How to Make a Good First Impression I. Introduction A. Have you ever met someone and walked away with "freak" or "loser" in mind? B. Most of us would like to believe that we don’t judge others. While this may be somewhat true, we often make assumptions about an individual based on the first impression. C. Creating a great greeting, observing how you are dressed, and Being aware of your body language are tips for how to make a good first impression D. There are several tips on how to make a great first impression in any situation. II. Body A. Create a great greeting. 1. This takes a little research in cultural competency and knowing who you will be greeting. You want to make sure your smile, words, and handshake are all appropriate. 2. In some cultures bowing may be more appropriate than handshakes, while in other cultures the degree of an appropriate smile varies. Create the perfect greeting for your particular situation. B. Observe how you are dressed. 1. This does not simply include your clothes, but also accessories. People tend to make a lot of assumptions based on your physical presentation. 2. People may say that looks aren’t everything, but would you really trust a psychologist in their pajamas and sporting bedhead? C. Be aware of your body language. 1. Your body language includes facial expressions, your posture, the way you shake hands. Body language is a vital part of making good first impressions. 2. I often show a lot of my feelings and...
Words: 365 - Pages: 2
...“How you present yourself, is how others see you.” First impressions can indeed be hard to change. Most of first impressions stay the same throughout a long period of time. It is almost like a label that is given. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, the impressions of most characters were kept the same, until the end. So yes, first impressions are almost impossible to change, although some people do believe they can, but it is rare. First impressions are almost impossible to change because they are the first things that come to mind when the person is seen, they are most of the time very accurate, and their actions portray the person’s personality. Actions can be louder than words. Most of the time, people stick with their first impression of a person. First impressions are usually thought of first. There is also a saying that states to trust the gut feeling, because it is most likely to be true. Also, impressions are based on the actions that are done. At the beginning, and throughout the book, Lennie was compared to a horse. The novel states, "...snorting into the water like a horse." He was compared to horse because of the way he was drinking water from...
Words: 640 - Pages: 3
...during sunny days and hence this makes the compound highly cozy for anyone who would want to use the leisure relaxing within the compound. However, the trees planted to provide shade shed their leaves during dry spells to conserve water. Water running through the compound makes them rot making the compound become stinky. At times if the compound is not cleaned regularly during dry spells, it looks filthy due to the numerous leaves that are shed by the trees and spread over the compound by the running wind that usually characterize dry seasons. This steals away the beauty of this compound and hence making it less cozy during dry seasons. Part 2: rhetorical analysis The two paragraphs in part one above shows contrasting impressions about my compound. The impressions are contrasting in that in the first paragraph the compound seems so cozy to rest in whereas in the other paragraph the compound is stinky and filthy making it unsuitable for...
Words: 835 - Pages: 4
