Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

How important are first impressions to you?

Within the first three seconds of a new encounter, people pass judgment on you, even unconsciously. Once the first impression is made, it is virtually irreversible. First impressions are lasting impressions. It is human nature.

I disagree.



Anyone can change thier first impression made on me the second time around. There have been several people who I thought nothing of at first, who I became attracted to later, and vise versa.

First Impressions are only important to people who can only recognize superficial value.

Originally posted by SpearofDestiny
I disagree.



Anyone can change thier first impression made on me the second time around. There have been several people who I thought nothing of at first, who I became attracted to later, and vise versa.

First Impressions are only important to people who can only recognize superficial value.

i agree.

Unlike what you are taught in business ethic. I believe impressions towards people constantly change the more you get to know them. The way i percieve my best of friends even tends to change. If change is constant in everything why doesnt it apply to the way you percieve people? First impressions are however, very important in establishing a relationship with someone.

Many variables that contribute to 'liking' someone are decided subconsciously the moment your brain is done processing the stimuli coming from them. The first impression is thus very important, because it creates the social 'category' that you will use to interact with the individual.

This category is not static, it will change with more exposure to the individual (not to mention a host of other things). To answer Urizen more directly, imho, the move from thinking nothing of said individuals to liking them required the exposure and reclassification of that individual.

So, yes, I think first impressions are important, though clearly not definitive. It is easy to think of scenarios where a good first impression may later be changed by experience, or that a bad one can be improved, yet the influence of the initial categorization of the individual will have a radical influence on how any further experience with that individual will be interpreted.

Originally posted by ragesRemorse
i agree.

Unlike what you are taught in business ethic. I believe impressions towards people constantly change the more you get to know them. The way i percieve my best of friends even tends to change. If change is constant in everything why doesnt it apply to the way you percieve people? First impressions are however, very important in establishing a relationship with someone.


I know I usually disagree with you, but I think you hit the nail just right with this one

Originally posted by Storm
Within the first three seconds of a new encounter, people pass judgment on you, even unconsciously. Once the first impression is made, it is virtually irreversible. First impressions are lasting impressions. It is human nature.


I agree

Originally posted by SpearofDestiny
I know I usually disagree with you, but I think you hit the nail just right with this one

we agree on something...,how did that happen?

Originally posted by Storm
Within the first three seconds of a new encounter, people pass judgment on you, even unconsciously. Once the first impression is made, it is virtually irreversible. First impressions are lasting impressions. It is human nature.

That's true, but you can (usually) reverse that; "Y'know Bob, I think you and I got off to a bad start...".

Well, there are first impressions until the person speaks.

first impressions matter nothing to me because i dont care.

i make a bad first impression on others though, and most impressions after.

Im pretty bad with first impressions, I must say.

First impressions are reversable. I know because I've become great friends and found great respect for people who initially gave off a shitty first impression.

Like Schecter. When I first met him I thought he was a disgusting deviant with a tiny penis and obnoxiously homosexual...and now....wait, bad example.

^^

For me, sometimes people think I'm stuck up when I'm quiet. All I have to do is open my mouth then........

I wouldn't say they can't be reversed. Often reversal is easier than progression.

First impressions are easily reversible. I have found many people I thot were dicks at first, but became friends with afterwords.

I agree with what others have said...first impressions are reversible.

Originally posted by BackFire
First impressions are reversable. I know because I've become great friends and found great respect for people who initially gave off a shitty first impression.

And sometimes, it's the complete opposite. I've met people who gave off a great first impression, but after getting to know them, I realized they were wankers.

It depends what type of person you are, there are some people who take first impressions as gospel, yet there are those that take them as just that, a first impression, nothing more. I've got a few friends who made quite bad first impressions, yet to even think about those impressions now, would be absolutely stupid.

To use an analogy, it's like hating your kitten forever, for scratching you.

Hehe, I like that analogy. ^-^

...

Originally posted by debbiejo
Well, there are first impressions until the person speaks.

That's when total impression is talked about.

What if you only hear the voice of a person for the first time on a radio or on the phone? Do you not form an impression about that person?

First Impression's are not always correct, people can be nervous or having a bad day, or Ill many people I know got off on the wrong foot but then became good friends I always have a second and third impression

I am guilty of judging two particular guys here, thinking they were complete asses. once I took the time to get to know them, however, I discovered they they are actually good guys.

so first impressions, IMO, are unimportant.

A few of my best friends, I absoluetly hated them when I first met them. And a few people I thought were awesome at first, are people I hate the most now.

With given time, you'll see if first impressions matter. It all really depends on the person, you, and spending time with them.

I don't think that 'first impressions being important' means that 'first impressions are the only factor in whether you like someone'.

Like, power to you all, you met people and changed your opinions on them. However, think of all the people who you did get an impression from and never had any further dealings with. That special someone who you wish you had gotten to talk to, or that weird person that you tried to avoid eye contact with.

Meh, whatever, people are really logical and rational. They can rationally think about what makes them like other people