First Impressions
In psychology, a first impression is the event when one person first encounters another person and forms a mental image of that person. First impressions are based on a wide range of characteristics: age, race, culture, language, gender, physical appearance, accent, posture, voice, number of people present, economic status, and time allowed to process. The first impressions individuals give to others could greatly influence how they are treated and viewed in many contexts of everyday life. – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_impression_(psychology)
Whilst interacting with teachers, fellow students, colleagues, managers, potential employers and other people, the impressions you make can have a great impact on future job opportunities, collaborations, other important matters and your overall success.
According to James Uleman, PhD, a psychology professor at New York University and researcher on impression management “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.”. Despite the amiableness of many get-togethers, judgments are being made and impressions formed all the time.
Considerable research confirms the importance of first impressions. A variety of factors contributes to their formation – from clothing style, facial shape, vocal inflection, attractiveness, general emotional state to posture. Having a handle on the kinds of impressions you make can benefit you and ensure that people have a more favourable opinion of you.
Making a good first impression in this day and age is all about showcasing your attributes without saying it outright. You don’t have to wear a suit to your interview to convince the interviewers that you are responsible. You prove it to them by showing it them. People can judge you very harshly during a first impression which makes it even more important, especially if you care about how other people look at you.
According to Psychology Today it takes a mere seven seconds to make a first impression. People thin-slice others based on how a person looks and sounds, more so than their explicit verbal statements. https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/basics/first-impressions#making-a-good-first-impression
There are a few strategies that can strengthen your chances of making a memorable impression when it counts.
Also read: https://marynastevenson.co.za/2022/06/09/https-marynastevenson-co-za-2022-06-09-body-posture/