Conventional belief suggests that first impressions can strongly influence our judgment, backed by scientific studies that indicate these quick assessments are difficult to alter, even if they’re incorrect. However, recent research reveals that taking a moment to reflect can prevent us from making snap judgments based only on initial appearances.
Conventional belief suggests that first impressions can strongly influence our judgment, backed by scientific studies that indicate these quick assessments are difficult to alter, even if they’re incorrect.
However, recent research reveals that taking a moment to reflect can prevent us from making snap judgments based only on initial appearances.
In a study published on September 9 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, researchers from Duke University explored an age-old question: Is it more advantageous to make a strong impression at the start or to leave a lasting positive impression at the end?
To investigate this, they conducted an experiment involving a fictional garage sale. Through various online experiments, they asked participants to examine virtual boxes filled with unwanted items for potential sale pieces.
Most of the items in the boxes were of little value — like an old alarm clock or a potted plant. Still, a few items, such as a nice lamp or a teddy bear, were more valuable.
Participants had a financial incentive to correctly identify the most valuable boxes, as they earned real cash based on their selections.
However, unbeknownst to the participants, each box contained a total value that was identical; the arrangement of the less desirable items versus the valuable ones was what varied.
In some boxes, the more valuable items were at the top, so participants noticed them first when unpacking. In others, valuable items were placed in the middle or at the bottom, and there were also boxes where items were mixed.
After participants opened the boxes, researchers requested them to estimate the value of each box and select their preferred ones. Some participants made immediate decisions, while others were instructed to reflect overnight before making their choices.
A noticeable trend emerged: Participants who decided right away based their judgments on the first few items they encountered rather than the entire contents of the box.
“Our findings showed that first impressions significantly bias people’s decisions,” stated lead author Allie Sinclair, who conducted the research during her Ph.D. under Dr. Alison Adcock, a Duke University psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor.
Participants consistently favored boxes with valuable items on top. When they saw these attractive items before the less valuable ones, they were more inclined to choose that box compared to if they had seen the low-priced items first.
Moreover, participants often overvalued these boxes, estimating their worth to be approximately 10% higher than it actually was.
This behavior exemplifies a psychological effect known as primacy bias, according to Sinclair, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.
When forming an overall impression, it appears we’re significantly impacted by initial information, even as new details emerge.
In the garage sale study, this bias hindered participants from objectively comparing the boxes and even led them to inaccurately perceive certain boxes as more valuable. Ironically, they struggled to remember specific items in their favored boxes that they initially identified as “treasures.”
Conversely, those who waited until the next day to decide were less likely to be affected by these biases.
“They made more logical choices, showing interest in boxes with valuable items regardless of their position,” Sinclair explained.
Participants who took time to reflect no longer overwhelmingly favored boxes that had a good initial impression; they equally valued boxes that reserved the best items for last.
“Making judgments based on first impressions can be beneficial for immediate decisions,” Adcock noted. For instance, if you’re watching a movie’s opening scene or leafing through the first pages of a book, quick assessments based on those moments can help you decide whether to continue investing time.
However, for decisions with longer-term implications, such as revisiting a restaurant or considering someone for hiring or dating, “there’s merit in the approach of ‘sleeping on it’ before finalizing a decision,” Sinclair advised.
“This research provides a fascinating glimpse into how our brains process rewarding experiences,” Adcock added. “After an experience is concluded, our brain organizes it in memory to assist in better decision-making — and this cognitive process occurs overnight.”
This research received funding from a Duke Health Scholars Award granted to Alison Adcock.
