How To Make a Fantastic first Impression
Building on the previous tactics discussed, regarding First Impressions there is something called the PRIMACY EFFECT: the process whereby our first impression of another person causes us to interpret their subsequent behaviour in a manner consistent with our first impression. This effect is so important because the opinion that somone forms of us at the first meeting will act as a filter for them to interpret our future behaviours. So if their initial impression of you is a good one their future evaluations of you will also tend to be kinder. The importance of Primacy is so significant that scientific studies show that even the order of information that we receive about someone alters our impression of them.
Take look at these two lists of words: A:Cold person, Industrious, Critical Practical and Determined B:Warm Person, Industrious, Critcal Practical and Determined In this study, students who read the descripton of an upcoming guest lecturer on list A had a harsher opinion of him than those on who read from list list B- note that the only word that was different was the first one. So make the initial moment the very best and the rest your conversation will be filtered through it.Another factor that can dramatically influence the way you are perceived is that of Accesibility and Priming. It has been demonstrated that that the ease in which we can recall certain thoughts has the effect of colouring our perception. In another study, it was shown that those who had memorised the words recklace, conceited, aloof and stubborn, later formed negative impressions of a fictitious person.He was viewed as arrogant and as a person who needlessly took chances. However people who memorised the words, adventourous, self confident, independant and persistent later formed positive impressions. This is beacause these words and what they represent were in Front of their Minds, which had the effect of colouring their perception of the person they were “introduced” to for the first time. Even those these words had nothing to do with the person, because they qualities are easily accessible in the pepoles minds they become unconsciously associated to a person who they then meet.
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