Impression Formation Theory

The impression formation theory describes how we form impressions of people from the second that we meet them, without even knowing very much about them at all. It also describes how throughout the entire relationship that we have with that person, even though we get to know them more personally, we still often tend to continue to hold onto this impression that we had of the person from the beginning. The different impressions that we make of people include being nice, friendly, beautiful, or shy.

I feel that this theory is very accurate. Everyone forms an impression of someone that they have just meet, or maybe even someone that they just see walking down the sidewalk based on how they look, how they are dressed or how they carry themselves in from of the public. Our impressions of people can also come from what we have heard about someone from a third source. As humans, I do not feel that we can look at someone or hear something about someone and not immediately form an impression of that person based on what we have seen, and or, heard about them.

There are many different instances that I can remember where I have formed an impression that I have just met based on something that I have seen or heard about that person, I actually feel that everyone does it on a daily basis because we are constantly meeting and being exposed to new people. The best example that I can think of where I have formed an impression of someone that I have just met is when I met my friend Sarah. My freshman year of college I was randomly roomed with a girl named Dani and we hit it off right away. A little bit into the year Dani tells me that her best friend from home, Sarah, was coming to visit for the weekend. I was excited to meet one of Dani’s friends and I had no worries that I would get along fine with Sarah because Dani and I were so much alike that I did not think that there was any way that I would not get along with Sarah. Well the week passed and that Friday, Sarah came. We went out to dinner and then to Target to pick something up from Dani. Sarah went to the bathroom and I just remember looking at Dani and telling her that I did not like Sarah at all. I felt that Sarah was very stuck up and just a rude person. That weekend ended and then Dani informed me that Sarah would be visiting a whole lot more now because she went to the University of Michigan and now that football season was over, she did not have marching band every weekend. I hated the idea at first, but once Sarah started visiting on a regular basis, I really got to know the real her and the three of us became best friends. We hung out every single day over the summer and for awhile, I was actually closer with Sarah then I was with Dani. I like this story because it showed how wrong our first impressions of people can really be. I went from never wanting to hang out with Sarah again, to being almost inseparable from her all summer long.

I do not feel that there is anything wrong with making impressions of people who we have just met, as long as we give them a chance to show us who they really are. It is just a natural reaction to look at or meet someone and automatically think something in your head based on how they look or what you have heard, even if it is completely wrong.