In the same vein, we suggest that the simple observation and description of perceivers’ judgments of target dress, as well as the “lenses” through which they understand target dress, is necessary before trying to formulate comprehensive theories of person perception that include target dress. Some high-validity cues were utilized (e.g., distinctive appearance for openness to experience); some high-validity cues were not utilized (e.g., stylish appearance and extraversion); and some low-validity cues were nevertheless utilized (e.g., neat appearance and conscientiousness). Thus, this work highlights how heterogeneous both the validity and utilization of dress cues might be for inferring personality traits specifically (and, likely, ambiguous social categories more broadly). Some people are better at making snap judgments than others. Additionally, cultural differences can create false impressions. Physical features, which strongly affect first impressions, can lead an observer astray. In addition to being a form of self-expression, dress is also a vital identity-signaling tool for oppressed groups. For example, across history, members of the LGBTQ+ community have used dress to subtly but clearly state their sexual orientation and gender identity to other members of the community, allowing relationships and networks to form without being “out” to the general public (Clarke, 2013). Psychologists have long understood that people form impressions within seconds of meeting someone. In nightlife settings, these first moments often shape how the rest of the interaction unfolds. Racial and social bias, Automatic categorization by race, gender, and social class systematically skews first impression accuracy in documented ways. Marketing Is Often A Battle Of Perception Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(4), 590–598. Naumann, L. P., Vazire, S., Rentfrow, P. J., & Gosling, S. D. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(12), 1661–1671. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 41(3), 258–290. Confirmation bias, Once a judgment forms, contradicting evidence gets discounted rather than integrated, making initial errors self-perpetuating. Modifiable cues, Posture, eye contact, vocal pace, and grooming are all controllable, and all measurably affect how you’re perceived. Social identity can also correspond with lower subjective social status and incentivize specific groups to prioritize subjective status. Another example highlights the interplay between target dress, target face/body, and target context. A firm handshake is confidence in Germany or the United States; in parts of the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, physical contact between strangers carries entirely different norms. Much of the recent work on color in social cognition is grounded in evolutionary theory, attempting to draw parallels between human and nonhuman responses to specific colors. For example, red (as expressed in the reddening of the face or the skin) is characterized as a testosterone-based indicator in competitive interactions between males, and thus appears to signal dominance in some contexts (Elliot & Maier, 2014; Hill & Barton, 2005). Color-in-context theory integrates biology-based and context-based meanings of colors and states that the meaning of color varies depending on the motivations and mental states of perceivers (Elliot & Maier, 2012). In this way, aesthetic preferences for color might emerge from functional preferences. The omission of dress from much of this work is problematic because dress may be highly relevant to the accuracy of categorization judgments. However, unlike faces and bodies, dress is consciously chosen, sometimes specifically for its ability to signal social identity or for its value for performing one’s identity (e.g., one’s gendered or sexual self; see Morgenroth & Ryan, 2021). Rianna might decide to score each trait on a scale of +5 (very positive) to –5 charmingtalks (very negative). Once she has these numbers, she could then either add them together or average them to get an overall judgment. A second reason is that most people are pretty good liars. The cues that liars give off are quite faint, particularly when the lies that they are telling are not all that important. More importantly, how can you become more self-aware—both in making and interpreting first impressions—to foster a more inclusive and effective campus environment? Let’s drill down into the science, the biases, the cues, and the practical strategies that will help you align your awareness with your ambitions. Now that we understand the basics and the science behind first impressions, we can examine how the impact of a first impression can go far beyond social settings. In job interviews, studies show that interviewers often decide within the first few seconds whether a candidate is a good fit (Kurter, 2019). First impressions can shape a teacher’s expectations, which can influence a student’s performance. The Power Of Nonverbal Cues And Appearance The courses covered diverse areas of the college curriculum, including humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. For each instructor, three 10-second video clips were taken—10 seconds from the first 10 minutes of the class, 10 seconds from the middle of the class, and 10 seconds from the last 10 minutes of the class. Without sharing private or too much personal information, let the person know that you’re open to answering any questions they have about you that feel appropriate for how long you’ve known each other. Once you’ve decided someone seems untrustworthy, you begin interpreting their subsequent behavior through that lens. The initial impression doesn’t just persist, it actively reshapes the evidence that follows it. Beneath all of this sits the primacy effect, a well-documented phenomenon in which the information we receive first carries disproportionate weight. Solomon Asch’s classic experiments in the 1940s showed that people described as “intelligent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn, envious” were rated far more positively than people described with the same traits listed in reverse order. Lengthen the exposure to 500 milliseconds and judgments of competence, likeability, and aggressiveness also stabilize. By the time a full second has passed, you have already been evaluated on multiple personality dimensions by every person who’s glanced at you. Before founding The Decision Lab, he worked at the Boston Consulting Group and Google. Female sexual orientation is perceived accurately, rapidly, and automatically from the face and its features. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45(6), 1245–1251. For example, basketball shorts or sweatpants might signal going to work
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