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First impressions last
[Posted: Thu 09/09/2004]
By Deborah Condon
First impressions really do last, the results of a new study indicate. In fact according to the research, people decide what kind of a relationship they want with a new acquaintance within just 10 minutes of meeting.
Researchers followed the progress of 164 first year college students. On the first day of class, each was paired with another same-sex student, who they had never met before. They were told to introduce themselves and talk for either three, six or 10 minutes.
After that initial conversation, each participant completed a questionnaire that asked them to predict how positive a future relationship with their new acquaintance would be for them personally. They were also asked what type of relationship they thought they would have with this person in the future, ranging from being a 'nodding acquaintance' to a 'close friend'.
Other questions included how much they liked the person they had just met.
After nine weeks, the participants were asked questions designed to determine what kind of relationship had actually developed.
The study found that how positively the participants rated a potential relationship on the first day was the best predictor of what kind of relationship actually did develop over the nine weeks.
Those who rated the potential relationship more positively for example, tended to sit closer to their new acquaintance during class and communicate more over the course of the nine weeks. They were the ones most likely to report that a close friendship had developed.
The first 10 minutes after meeting someone may be crucial
One important finding was that the results were the same whether the participants had talked for three, six or 10 minutes in that first meeting.
"That tells you things are happening very quickly. People are making snap judgements about what kind of relationship they want with the person they just met", said co-author of the study, Artemio Ramirez Jr of Ohio State University.
According to Mr Ramirez, people size up the possibilities of a relationship within minutes of meeting and this guides their actions.
"It's almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. We make a prediction about what kind of relationship we could have with a person and that helps determine how much effort we are willing to put into developing that relationship", he explained.
He added that future relationships are not set in stone within minutes of a meeting - events can occur and people can change to alter relationships. However people 'want to quickly determine if a person they just met is someone they are going to want to spend more time with'.
While this study focused on same sex meetings, Mr Ramirez believes it could be applied to dating as well. In fact he suggests that speed dating, a phenomenon which has become very popular in Ireland recently, may have real value.
"Romantic relationships are probably similar to what we found in this study - they begin with people making judgements very quickly", he added.
Details of this study are published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
Louise(XQM49605) Posted:
19/07/2006 19:48 |
| I am 31 years of age and do certainly believe that first impressions last. I have had an encounter recently with a man 29 years of age and the first impression has certainly lingered. |
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