First Impressions in Business Settings By: Kimberly Rogers Communications Honors Thesis URC 2010
How to Conquer the First Impression… Article by CareerBuilder Editor Katie Lorenz • Timing • Appearance • Handshake • Body Language
Goffman: Impression Formation & Management Impression Formation- As Observers , how do we recognize the identities of others? Impression Management- As Social Actors , how do we display our identities to others?
Asking Questions… What Are Your Very First Impressions or Opinions of the Subject? In the Photograph? After the Video? Are You Willing to Work with Them? As a Superior? As a Subordinate?
Interview 1 Interview 2 Interview 3 Interview 4
Making Sense of Others… • Research participants utilized past experiences to make judgments of the subjects. • Even compared subjects to one another to gauge their own impressions. Erving Goffman
Smiling: Friendly or Phony? Smiling too much or appearing upbeat can seem insincere to some, while others find it friendly and charming.
Microexpressions A microexpression is a brief, involuntary facial expression shown on the face of humans according to emotions experienced.
Clothing “He’s alright, his shirt looks wrinkled, and his tie is crooked and it bothers me.” “He looks very relaxed, almost too relaxed. He looks disheveled, and his suit looks messy.” “I don’t really have a first impression of him except he looks kinds of sloppy, he seems like a sloppy boss.” “He’s a little messy, sloppy, and he doesn’t looks very neat.” “He looks a bit disheveled, his tie is off to the side, his shirt is wrinkled, and he has a very casual body position.”
Willingness to Work With Others Would You Be Willing to Work with Them? “Yea, but not enthusiastically though.” “As much as anyone else…” “I’d still be willing to work with him/her.”
Firm Handshakes Studies have found correlations that suggest that individuals whose handshakes are firmer (i.e., have a more complete grip, are stronger, more vigorous, longer in duration, and associated with more eye contact) are thought to be more extraverted and open to experience and less neurotic and shy.
Conclusions • A variety of factors work together to assist us in the formation of our first impressions of others, and the impressions we give others. • We utilize our past experiences, and acquired knowledge to make sense of ourselves, others, and the situations we find ourselves in on a daily basis. • First impressions are essential to the maintenance of social interaction, and are especially important in professional settings, such as a job interview.
References Chaplin, William F., et at. “Handshaking, gender, personality, and first impressions.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 79.1 (2000): 110-117. PsycARTICLES. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2010. Gladwell, Malcolm. “The Naked Face.” The New Yorker 5 Aug 2002. Web. 10 Apr. 2010. <http://www.gladwell.com/2002www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_08_05_a_face.htm>. Goffman, Erving. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1959. Print. Lorenz, Kate. "How to Conquer the First Impression." CareerBuilder.com Jobs - The Largest Job Search, Employment & Careers Site . 24 Sept. 2007. Web. 9 Apr. 2010. <http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-409-Getting-Hired- How-to-Conquer-the-First- Impression/?ArticleID=409&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=0844977b47af46fc88f1fbcd7623bfb6-324140970-wb- 6&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_first_impression_inte_>.
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