The primacy effect in impression formation

Forming impressions about others is a rapid and often automatic process, where the first information we receive about a person tends to have a disproportionate impact on our overall perception of them.

This phenomenon is known as the primacy effect.

The Influence of First Information

The primacy effect describes how the first characteristics or traits we learn about someone act as an anchor or filter through which we interpret subsequent information.

Once we have formed an initial impression, it tends to be resistant to change, even if subsequent information contradicts it.

For example, if upon meeting someone, the first words we hear to describe them are "intelligent, hard-working, and critical," we are likely to form a more positive overall impression than if the first words were "critical, hard-working, and intelligent," even if the set of traits is the same.

First words color our interpretation of following.

Underlying Mechanisms

There are several reasons why early information carries so much weight:

• Diminished Attention: We may pay less attention to information that arrives after we have formed an initial impression, since our mind searches for coherence and once we have a basic outline, new information is processed in less detail.

• Biased Interpretation: The first traits we experience can influence the meaning we attribute to later traits. If the first impression is positive, we may interpret ambiguous features more favorably, and vice versa.

The Role of the Perceiver's Goals

However, the primacy effect can be moderated if the perceiver has a specific motivation to form an accurate impression.

If we are warned not to be swayed by first impressions or if we have an important reason to evaluate someone carefully (e.g., in a job interview), we may be more likely to pay attention to all the available information and adjust our initial impressions.

However, in everyday interactions, where we often operate with less cognitive effort, the primacy effect often dominates.

Practical Implications

Understanding the primacy effect is important because it highlights the importance of first impressions in social interactions.

It also alerts us to the need to be aware of this bias so as not to make hasty judgments and to be open to revising our perceptions of others as we learn more.