Reflective Essay on First Impressions

First impressions are very crucial. They can make or break an opportunity or determine whether any type of relationship will be formed between people. There is a popular saying that says, “You only get one chance to make a first impression,” Which is proven true in many ways. This is because first impressions are very difficult to change. 

There is tons of research proving that first impressions are hard to change. It is shown in a study written about by Scott Costello in an article from the Greater Gaines magazine that first impressions are usually formed in only 17 seconds, and 55% of them are snap judgments of the person's face and appearance. This makes it difficult to make a good first impression as it is, but it makes it even harder to change. Not only is the first impression mostly out of your control, but your face and appearance are also constant reminders of it. 

Two studies presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in Austin, Texas, in 2014 show that not only do people have a hard time getting past the first thing they know about someone, (first impressions), but they also tend to make accurate judgments. During this study participants made snap judgments off a picture of someone, then more than a month later those two people interacted. The snap judgments they made were surprisingly accurate on how much they'd like that person.  This is proved through research and real life. In my personal experience, my first impressions of people, which tend to be harsh, have been correct. I have also found it is not easy to change my first impression of you. No matter how much time I spend with people, and even if I can't remember why I have a bad first impression, it is very hard to change. 

Many people argue that after hanging out with the person and getting to know them better, a person's first impression will change. However, if your first impression of a person was bad and you didn't really like them, then it is unlikely that you will get to know them. It would be unexpected to willingly hang out with and get to know someone who off the first impression you didn't like.

Whether first impressions are difficult to change or not has been a heavily debated topic. But thanks to tons of research, personal experiences, and real-life examples we can clearly see that first impressions are not easy to change. Research showing that they are made off of things people have next to no control of, are made within seconds, are surprisingly accurate, and the high probability of not getting a chance to prove it wrong makes first impressions being hard to change undeniable.