A surprising finding about first impressions, from Harvard

Nalini Ambady of Harvard University asked university students at the start of a semester to view a two second, silent video clip of teaching fellows, and rate the teachers on a 15 item checklist of personality traits. At the end of the semester with the teachers, the students again rated the teachers. There was a high correlation between the pre and post semester checklists.

Astoundingly, students who view just a two second, silent clip of a teacher at the start of a semester will form impressions about that teacher that are very similar to impressions of the teacher after sitting through an entire semester with the teacher.

The significant impact of this research result is this: Your initial moments and connection with a person can determine how the person perceives you months later.

In an upcoming blog I’ll give you an imagery technique I use with my sales presentation clients that helps them make a great initial connection. However, the ‘how to’ for this blog is this: In the next week get curious about how well other people meet and greet you, and how well you initially meet and greet others.