We all know how important it is to make a good first impression. Otherwise, it's clear to everyone that you can't fairly judge a book by its cover, but we humans are so conditioned that it's hard not to form an opinion about a person within the first few minutes of a new contact. But what is the psychology of first impressions? What do we judge people by first? You can find the answers to these questions in this article.
First impression it can cause or save us a lot of trouble. Although the first impression by no means it is not eternal and unchanging, let alone fair, many times with new knowledge determines the course of events and motivation, with whom we will forge closer ties. The psychology of first impressions is therefore an important area of knowledge. If we want to make a good first impression, it's good to know what we first judge people by. What are the internal mechanisms that allow us to determine the character or even the life story of an individual based on their appearance? New research reports about the four key characteristics that make up a first impression.
What do we first judge people by:
Face shape
The first characteristic that we notice in a fellow human being is the shape of the face. The more round the face is and resembles a child's face, the more positive our first impression of a person is. Such judgment makes evolutionary sense, as children need more protection and care. Research has shown that, on average, men are more attracted to women with a round face, as this is a sign of youth and fertility.
Similarity
We also form a first impression based on how similar a person is to certain individuals we know better. If someone visually resembles a person who is often weak-willed, we will also judge them as weak-willed - even though this may not be true at all. Similarity affects the first impression even if we do not perceive it consciously.
Symmetry
An important component of the first impression is the symmetry of the face, which is also one of the main determinants of beauty and attractiveness. Faces that are more symmetrical are considered more beautiful and healthier. We judge people who have a symmetrical face as more intelligent and more capable. They seem friendly to us, and we are also sure that they have a wide social network.
READ MORE: What does the length of your fingers say about you?
Emotional synchronicity
Humans are very good at reading emotional reactions, especially those that are drawn on the face of the interlocutor. We will have a better first impression of people who we judge to be experiencing similar emotions as us.
