First Impressions and Human Behavior - 1350 Words

Imagine attending a college graduation ceremony and the man giving the keynote address strolls with hunched shoulders up to the podium. His hair has dreadlocks and stands on end in several places. His clothes look as if he quickly picked them out of the bargain bin of the local Goodwill Store. He is wearing a striped sports jacket, plaid golf pants and white, athletic socks with his bright, Bronco orange Crocs. Based solely on this information, will the audience listen intently and gain inspiration from the knowledge this man has to impart? Is it possible for his words to have the same impact on this particular audience as a speaker who marched confidently up to the podium, his head held high, his hair neatly combed, his suit†¦show more content†¦Having a clear understanding of where one falls within Maslow’s â€Å"Hierarchy of Needs† helps him to understand why he may perceive others differently or why others react in a specific way towards him. The scenarios presented in First Impressions regarding John as an extrovert and then as an introvert exemplify the power of first impressions. The scenarios also help to illustrate the possible fallacies involved in making first impressions. In the scenario, which presents John as an extrovert, an individual’s first impression of John might be that he is confident, patient, approachable, and friendly. Although the scenario never uses any of these words to describe John, an observing individual might describe this as their first impression of John based on other information provided and by reflecting on their own perception of themselves. For instance, the description, â€Å"basking in the sun as he walked† (Clark, 2010) may project an air of confidence to an observer. The fact that John merely walked into the busy store and began chatting with an acquaintance, rather than pushing forward to the counter (Clark, 2010), might give the observer the impression that John is patient and friendly. John’s willingness to stop and talk with a girl he had only recently met (Clark, 2010) may confirm the impression that he is friendly but also give the sense that he is approachable in nature. In the scenario that presents John as an introvert, anShow MoreRelatedYou Can Judge A Book By Its Cover, Sometimes Essay1105 Words   |  5 PagesHuman beings have evolved an incredible ability to form first impressions, rapidly and with a high degree of accuracy as a survival mechanism. Admittedly, it is still difficult to know whether to trust first impressions, given there are so many cautionary warnings. We are told how important it is to make a first impression when going on a first date, a job interview or to meet with a new client. We are also warned to never judge a book by its cover, indicating that our first impression could beRead MoreFirst Impressions Essay967 Words   |  4 PagesFirst impressions are always used in setting the tone when you first meet someone. Without the luxury of knowing the persons background, you initially judge someone by the way that person introduces themselves and how they come across to you. By coming across, I mean the way a person carr ies themselves. For example, if the person comes across as shy and introverted, you tend to think of that person as timid and somewhat weak. However, if that same person comes across as outgoing, confident (butRead MoreDifferences Extroverts and Introverts Give for First Impressions844 Words   |  4 Pages First Impressions Through the years, many have been guided to investigate early evaluations of extroversion and introversion, recognized as core aspects of peoples personalities (Bennington-Castro, J., 2013), and ask what effect these evaluations have on the person making them. Research has directly impacted the thoughts on these varying psychological traits: the extrovert – a person concerned more with external reality than inner feelings (Extrovert, 2014.); and the introvert – a person characterizedRead MoreFirst Impressions Essay994 Words   |  4 PagesFirst impressions are what set the tone in any situation, personal or professional, and ultimately determine how we proceed behaviorally in that situation. Within a matter of seconds, a person will make their assessment of another person or a situation – an assessment that will carry through the remainder of the relationship. And while what we say may have an impact on how another person perceives us, studies have shown that mu ch of our first impressions are based on body language. Body LanguageRead MoreAre First Impressions Misleading Impressions?1128 Words   |  4 PagesFirst impressions: Misleading impressions? First impressions can be surprisingly sticky in the observers mind. When reading the stories about John, it is perfectly plausible that some days John could be very gregarious, while on another day, feeling tired and less confident, he could be more introverted. The character attributes that are observed to draw the conclusion that John is an introvert or an extrovert are relatively superficial and arbitrary. In one scenario John talks to a girl heRead MoreFritz Heider : The Theory Of Attribution Theory1224 Words   |  5 PagesThe second component of social perception is attribution. Attribution is the process in which we attach meanings of other’s behaviors. Similarly, attribution theory refers to the study of models people implement in order to make judgments about the behavior of others. Fritz Heider, an Austrian psychologist whose work was related to the Gestalt school, published â€Å"The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations,† which expanded his creation of att ribution theory. Heider initiated that â€Å"people are naà ¯ve psychologistsRead MoreImpact of a first impression816 Words   |  4 PagesImpact of a First Impression It has commonly been stated that one is never given second chance to make a great first impression. Everyday we have numerous interactions, where opportunities come and go in an instant, like sliding doors opening and closing. Ideally, we want to seize these moments in a favorable way. It is of great importance to understand how our human behaviors effect the first impressions we give others. Importance of First Impressions By definition an impression is, â€Å"a characteristicRead MoreA Second Look at First Impressions800 Words   |  4 PagesA Second Look at First Impressions You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is a common mantra from parents, professional coaches, and other mentors. First impressions are formed based upon analysis of the person’s behaviors and traits, often using our own values and beliefs as a gauge. Once formed, first impressions may be difficult to change. My first impressions of John painted him in a specific light. Upon reversal and reflection I was challenged to look beyond my initialRead MoreRecommendation to Improve the Quality of Leadership Essay example1005 Words   |  5 Pagesmerger between TCI and ATT back in 1999. I was on the development team tasked with developing new processes and procedures for the first ever voice over internet protocol service. On my first day I met with my team members many of whom I had known for years while working at TCI and our new manager who transferred over from ATT’s long distance department. My first impression of my new manager was that of someone who was friendly, sociable, and easy going. I left work that day feeling good and excitedRead MoreEssay on The Need to Explain Leave Impression in an Interview953 Words   |  4 Pages As humans we feel the need to explain everything to ourselves and to others, we attribute cause to the events around us which gives us a sense of control. This need to explain is helped through attribution theory argued by Robbins, Millet and Boyle which try to explain the ways in which we judge people differently, depending on the meaning we attribute to a given behavior . There are three different type of observations that we make when we attribute behavior to either external or internal sources