The Power of First Impressions
October is the month to focus on the power of first impressions. Last year, I stated that it takes three seconds to form a first impression. Now I read that a 2006 Princeton University study found that it takes a mere one-tenth of a second for us to make judgments about a person based on their facial appearance. That is hardly enough time to plaster a smile on your face! Pretty scary fact, isn’t it?
Though it is difficult to detect many aspects of a person’s personality, researchers found that attractiveness and trustworthiness are the qualities we judge most quickly. I’m certainly not surprised by physical appearance being considered, but trustworthiness as an easy detection is most interesting. With that said, it is clear that we must always be aware that people around us are forming opinions about us, whether or not they know us.
Now I digress into a new and somewhat misunderstood territory of creating first impressions through the power of digital presence. Unless you live in a remote area in some corner of the world with no means of communication, you are out there somewhere on the web. The reality […]
