First Impressions

Jamie Gomez

Everyone has first impressions.

You had a first impression when you

first glanced at this book.

Consciously or not you tried to figure

out the content by looking at the

front cover.

We as humans can use our first

impressions of others as a defense

mechanism. We can choose things

that we don’t feel are going to be of

any use, a waste of time or a

potentially dangerous situation in a

matter of seconds simply from a

negative first impression.

If you look or talk to a stranger, it

is easily possible to create a life

story for them based on the way

they are dressed, talk or behave.

We deconstruct this information and

create a first impression judged by

out perceptions without gaining a

full understanding. of the subject.

Based on their personal first

impression, most graphic designers

try to gain meaning from everything

visual around them, but by having a

deeper knowledge and understanding

of first impressions, the

communication in your design will

improve.

It is very important, when visually

communicating, to try and break this

barrier and think in different ways.

Try and see the world through the

eyes of the person you are trying to

communicate with and understand

what their first impressions are.

What turns them on and off?

To further understand how first

impressions work I have tried to

understand the first impressions of

people and from that I will be able

to transfer the skills to good graphic

design.

The idea is to ask people one

question and hopefully from their

answers I could gain a deeper

understanding of first impressions.

The interesting thing about this idea

is that when you ask people this

question, you already have a first

impression imprinted into your mind.

When the question is answered, you

are often shocked and the way you

deconstruct first impressions starts to

change.

Test yourself and see if your first

impressions are correct.

Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover. Its Easier Said Than Done.

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What do you think people’s first impression is of you?

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Yeah, I’ have got a friendly face,

everyone loves my face.

Connor

I guess I am upbeat, enthusiastic,

well I hope so. I never want to

offend anyone, thats why I always

try to appear approachable and

treat everyone how I would want

to be treated.

Mattheias

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I reckon that my first impression is

that I am approachable and friendly.

I have to be, because if I was not,

I should really not be a comedy

club promoter.

Kosta

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I feel like people look at me and

think I am dangerous. I get the

feeling that people feel uncertain

around me.

Roy

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Yeah, like I said, I’m busy

Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?

No, I’m busy.

You’re waiting for a bus

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Vincent I would say I am good looking and

relaxed, well thats the impression that

I try to give off.

I think that everyone has an ideal

first impression, its whether they

create it or not.

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We’re approachable, I hope that we

come across that way, if we didnt

then we are not really doing our

job well.

Lisa & Terry

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Good looking. Arrogant.

Fashionable. Enough said really...

Andrew & Gabriel

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I would say that I am easy to know,

happy, smiley and approachable,

although not alot of people do

approach me.

Antti

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You alright mate, do you mind if I

ask you a few questions?

Nah, Nah, I saw that you are

giving out cd’s and I wanted to ask

you what type of tunes you make.

Sounds good man, can I get a copy?

Here ya go, here is 3 quid.

The Cd is blank

Your not from the council are you?

Oh yeah, ha, no worries man, yeah I

make everything man, indie with hip

hop over the top, yeah man, its new

and its fresh.

Yeah of course man, pay how ever

much you think its worth.

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In order to become more sensitive to body language we have to get feedback on how accurate our interpretations and impressions are.

C. Kleinke (1975)

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Nevid, J, S, Rathus (2007)

It is important to make a positive first impression, especially because first impressions tend to become lasting impressions.

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I a’m good looking, thats about it.

Just one good looking guy.

Tony

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I am a phycologist, I find it very

interesting that you have asked me

this question, because it is a very

difficult question to answer. I would

say that I am absent minded.

Makku

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I do not know. People normally say

I am straight talking, I do not know

if that is the impression I give off.

I do not go around giving opinions,

if people ask me to give my opinion,

I do.

Lin

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I think that people look at me and

think, “mum” because its what I am

and I base my life around

my children.

Margret

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I would say the same thing, as

margret, I’m a grandma, I love my

grand children, and when people

normally look at an old person, they

always think the same thing, old or

grandparent.

Beth

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AndyA lot of people think I am a police

man, because of the uniform.

Out of my work clothes I would

say I am quite arrogant, very loud

and very chatty, I wont be quiet for

more than five minutes.

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I think people would think I am shy.I’m quite loud, people normally look

at me like, “what a weirdo.”

I would rather not say

Selena AlisonI recon people look at me think I’m

good looking, ha, oh my god that

sounded so bad, but I am

quite pretty.

BeccaAlex

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My first impression would be, “oh

dont mess with him, he looks a

bit tough guy, when infact I am the

most harmless guy you wi’ll meet.

I think its the hair or lack of, that

gives the impression I’m a hard nut.

I’m a pianist. would not have

thought that would ya?

Jay

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I’’’’ would say I appear focused.

I know what I want and I know how

to get it. If I dont know how to get

it, i’ll find out.

Dave

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Look I dont have time for your

questions and stuff, I can’t stop and talk because I have lots of contracts

with many important people. I’m a

busy man you know.

Gold men

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Anthony &

People look at us and think we’’re a

happy couple because thats what

we are.

Miriam

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Tim, Joe,

What? Right now? People probably

think we look like a bunch of idiots.

What more would you expect on a

stag do.

Dan & Robin

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I am a teacher, so it depends

whether the person views me at

work or not. at work, I’m that teacher

that no one messes with, and I have

created that impression. Outside of

work, I give off the impression of just

a normal person, casual.

Linda

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I’m not doing any of your pschycology shit mate

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Piss off and just let me get on with

my work, alright?

Bin Man

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Approachable. I have to be. If I was

not approachable, you wouldnt have

picked to choose me to talk to. It

is important for my job that I am

approachable, otherwise I would not

make any money and lose my job.

Soueff

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People think I’m wild because of the

hair, the piercings and my outer

image. I think that puts people off

getting to know me.

I’m down to earth, people just dont

bother to get to know me because

of my outer shell.

Joanne

Well, I’ve got a story to tell about

that. To cut a long story short, or not,

I was in the car, totally disorientated

and saw a car coming towards me

with a woman driving. There was

a woman and a man in the car

together and she had her hand over

her mouth screaming, and thats when

I realised that something had

happened to me and it wasn’t somebody else.

Then, I thought oh my, ‘I can feel wetness’. I was drinking a can of

orange at the time and I thought that

it had just gone all over me and then

I realised the car was full of smoke

and I could smell petrol and I thought,

If I don’t get out of here I’m going to

be dead.I went into fight mode. and

I thought I’ ’ve got to get out of the car.

The car was totally buckled from

behind and the two back doors were

buckled inwards. I leaned across to

the passenger side and I looked at

the door and knew I wouldn’t be able to open it. I noticed that the drivers

side door next to the seat I was

sitting in was the only way out.

Anyway, I thought, if nobody is going

to help me, I’ve got to help myself.

So I leaned back, I was in absolute

agony from the impact and you know

where you get hit and your body

goes in to safety mode.I kicked the

bottom of the door 3 times and that

didn’’t work.

I could see people coming towards

me, so it wasn’’t so frightening, but I thought I was going to blow up

because of the smell of petrol. So in

the end, I went at the door with my

shoulder. I counted 1, 2, 3, and just

pushed and luckily for me, it played

a bit off. I played rugby at school,

and it came in handy. They say that

the things you learn in school are not

useful, but they really do, no matter

which class you are in.

I just left all of my things and got

out of the car.

I made my way back to the place

where my car was, in a lay-by, by

the side of the road at which two or

three people came along and were

going, ’‘are you ok, are you ok?’.

One man was really calm and said ‘listen your fine, it wasn’’t your fault’. I didn’t really understand at the time,

but he went on to say, “‘‘‘it was his

fault’ to which I asked“‘‘‘ ’’’’’who?’. He looked over to a black 5 series Bmw,

very nice car, sitting on a grass verge

with the air pads inflated.

An elder woman and gentle man

stepped out of the car like they

were going on a walk in the woods.

They walked up towards me and my

concern was for me, not them. I said

“are you ok in that car?” Because I didn’’t know what happened, at which

point the guy who was standing beside me said yeah don’t worry

The man from the Bmw just looked

at me, didn’t say anything and just walked away. He never even spoke

to me, didn’t ask if I was ok or say

sorry, nothing.

Do you know something?

I have got very good recall and I can

remember his facial expression, If I

had someone who could draw his

face, I could reconstruct his face.

I remember he had really blood-shot

eyes, so he was hungover. that’s my

opinion, hung over or bereaved.

It was all very strange, because when

I was in the ambulance, the two

technicians were talking and were

saying, “’what the hell was

going on with that man? was he not

looking where he was going?’”

I survived all that, this was one of

the reasons I wanted to come to

london for a weekend cause I used

to live in london, and it was one of

the happiest times in my life.

Similarly i lived in brighton.

Going back to your question, what do

people think when they see me?

I think a lot of people are interested

to find out about me, to ask me

things. I mean, when I was sitting

here for example, a homeless man

started talking to me about he

needed to get six pounds to get into

a hostel, and there were two young

people who obviously had been out

clubbing and haven’’t gone home yet,

who left that water and 10 cigarettes

behind. The girl said, ‘‘‘‘“oh come on,

lets just get a beer and get it over

and done with’’.

So yeah, long answer, but the short

answer would be, I would like to

think, they don’’t think too much about

what I’m all about. In life I think its very important to look at other people

and be interested in other people, but

not too be too intrusive. Even if you

are lost in a foreign city.

My first impressions of other people

have come on a whole load of things,

my upbringing, my educations, the

fact that I’’ve lived in different places around the world, I’’ve travelled a lot,

If you don’t travel and experience different things then your first

Matt

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impressions are extremely limited.

Exposure definitely helps with first

impressions, the more you are willing

to adventure and try new things, the

less you judge and the more you are

willing to find out. If you go about

judging everything on your first

impressions you will discard info,

friendships, knowledge and many

other things.

Consumerism has a lot to do with

first impressions. Consumerism preys

on peoples desires and needs and

wants and wishes. On my keys I

have this little card for Tesco, and I

detest going into Tesco. You go in

there now and everything is under

one roof. Great. But its only Tesco

brands.

Sometimes I say no on purpose. If

someone tries a hard sale, I will not

respond at all.

I wanted to try and find some energy

saving green light bulbs.

Anyway, went into the shop and the

guy wanted five pounds just for an

ordinary energy saving lightbulb.

I always do my market research and

check. A lot of people are a lot

more savvy now, and I have to say,

that young people are driving that.

Maslow’’s hierarchy of needs shows

that self-actualisation is right at the

top of the pyramid and that means

you feel completely happy with

yourself and your life; very few things

phase you. I believe I passed into

self-actualisation during the car crash.

I wouldn’ ’t want anyone to judge me,

by a first impression.

I would want people to give

themselves the chance to get to

know me, but that will never happen,

well, maybe one day.

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I’m a pretty jolly person, and I think

people would think that when they

look at me. I’m happy pretty much all

the time, I’m rarely sad.

If someone were to meet me and

have a first impression of me on an

off day, I don’t think they would ever

talk to me again.

Amanda

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Moody, Because I am a very moody

person. To be frankly honest with

you, you are pissing me off a little

bit with your questions.

Carlos

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When people look at me, they

probably think, who’ is that charming

young man?”

Yeah definatley the same thing..

No

What about when your out of uniform?

Can I take a photo of you?

Chris

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Good god I have no idea and if I

knew, I’’d probabley change it. I’’m in

a rush, got to go.

Gary

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People think I am strange or foreign,

because of my accent, but I guess

people would also say I am likeable.

Mani

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People would most likely think I’m

positive and cool.

Ron

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I guess I a’m mouthy, confident,

quite arty, maybe even a surfer

dude. I’m always energetic, so yeah,

I reckon people think I’m energetic.

James

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Well I think that people would look

at Danny and think what a hottie,

but he knows it.

Ha, people would look at you and

think, what a fatty.

Danny &Liam

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I am just your run of the mill, happy

guy. I like to appear optimistic and

hopeful. I let god work through me

and with his strength and power

anything is possible.

Benjamin

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Pete & SamWe’’ are just two cool guys

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People would look at me and think,

oh god she’s overweight”.

I mean I’ would love to be seen as

sexy, but I don’t really think that it comes across much. To be honest

it depends on whether you just see

someone or you speak to them.

Tracy

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First impressions of people’s personalities are often formed by using the visual appearance of their faces. Defining how quickly these impressions can be

formed has critical implications for understanding social interactions and for determining the visual properties used to shape them.

Perl Moshe (2006)

Perl Moshe (2006)

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Some of the most evolutionary fundamental psychologist goals pertain to the avoidance of other people who might harm us, cheat us or kill us. That requires that we

know- or at least make a reasonable first guess-whether someone is nasty or nice. From an evolutionary perspective, no other kind of

inference probably matters as much.

Ambady, N, J, skowronski (2008)

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TomI do not know.

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People probably think I’m a loner.

I don’’t really depends on others and I am pretty happy doing things

by myself.

Steve

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An Old man, what a stupid question.

What do you see when you look at

me?

Exactly.

Um.. An old man.

You have a point there Henry

Henry

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I don’’t know really, people probably

think I’’m a nice guy.

Mauro

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MuratJust a geek really

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Quite cool, you know, people would

look at me and think, this guy has

got style, he’’’s cool.

Marcus

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How you doing? Don’t worry I’’m not

trying to sell you anything or ask for

money. I basically want to ask you

one question.

What do you think other people’s

first impression is of you?

Yeah, If that’s ok.

And do u mind if I ask you your

first name?

Yes.

Go on.

No idea.

Guess your going to ask me for a

photo arn’t u?

Hurry up, I’’m on my break.

Rather not.

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NeilOff putting I guess. I don’’t really hang around with the ‘right crowd’

as it were. It could be because of

where I work aswell. Did you know

that they did some reasearch

because Toni & Guy were losing

customers and the results showed

that the staff were not friendly.

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SteveTired, knackered, exhausted, stressed,

anything else?

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RajDepends on what I’’m doing really or

how I feel. It could probably change,

even throughout the day.

Charlotte

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People look at me and think

scary. I guess that’s good because of the job. A lot of my

friends have said to me about

their first impressions of me and

it is always, I thought you were

so scary when I first met you’, but underneath I’m a big softy.

’

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This study of first impressions has

inspired me to take this project on a

personal level after university and to

research deeper. I mainly did all of

my field research in and around the

Covent Garden area in London.

I plan to further this investigation

into first impressions by

comparing results from different

locations and compare the results.

From the results I will be able to

formulate graphs and information

graphics.

My view of people has changed

dramatically because of this project

aswell as the way I look at design.

Take a second look and try and

ignore your first impressions, it might

surprise you.

Postscript

Kleinke, C. 1975. First impressions: The psychology of encourtering others. Prentice Hall.

Nevid, J. 2007. Psychology: Concepts and applications. 2nd ed. Wandsworth: Wadsworth Publishing.

Bar, M et al. 2005. Very first impressions. Massachuttes: Harvard Medical School.

Ambady,N., J, J, Skworonski. 2008. First Impressions. 1st ed. Guildford: Guildford Press

References

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