First Impressions

980 Words2 Pages

We all have been in a situation where we meet new people for the first time. Either enrolling in a new school, interviewing for a job, or just simply going to a party and meeting new people who happen to be at the party as well; our lives are filled with first encounters and we develop impressions about those people we encounter. To simplify the understanding a first impression is “like a Polaroid picture” (Flora,2004). They are brief snapshots that we use to gain physical knowledge about the new people we make. Along with the pre-determined values and ideas we conceptualize what a person may or may not be like. With a sheer glance at person we instantly have a generalization about a person without even saying a word. With these first impressions it is important for people to project a good first impression so as not to be seen negatively with pre-determined judgments. Falling into the trap of appearing negative can have adverse affects of what people will think. No matter what the impending conversation holds, a person’s first impression is what will stick the most. In the two scenarios of John as either an extrovert or as an introvert, the words paint a picture of what we think of a person only based off brief moments and sudden accounts. Each account allows us to formulate an opinion about John and what type of person he is only based off a couple of paragraphs. John in the first scenario is described as an extrovert, or “a friendly person who likes being with and talking to other people; an outgoing person” (Extrovert, 2012). John wants to be around people and likes to talk to people. He finds joy in being around others, and he projects that in the confidence he offers. When other people see him they are hard pressed not to ... ... middle of paper ... ...scriptions. This is not the best way to understand how a person works or acts, conversation is eventually the ultimate way to do that. The first impression does show that it is important to show off the goods. Employers and people we network with have to make snap judgments about people, and these first impressions are the foundation to these meetings. So making the most of our first impressions really goes a long way in attracting people to like you. References Extrovert. (2012). In Merriam-Webster: Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/extrovert Flora, C. (2004, June). The once-over can you trust first impressions?. Psychology Today, 37(3), 60-66. Master FILE Premier, Retrieved from EBSCOhost Introvert. (2012). In Merriam-Webster: Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/introvert

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