Text 1 First Impressions

Pre-reading task:

1. What do you think your first impressions about a person are based on?

2. How do you form first impressions about a person?

3. Read the text and compare the analysis of psychologists to your answer.

1. According to psychologists, people form first impressions based first on how to look then on how you sound and finally what you say.

Your physical appearance – how you look makes 55% of a first impression. This includes facial expressions, body language, and eye contact, as well as clothing and general appearance.

2. The way you sound makes 38% of the first impression. This includes how fast or slowly, loudly or softly you speak, and your tone of voice. People listen to your tone of voice and decide whether you sound friendly or unfriendly, interested or bored, and happy or sad. What you say- the actual words you use-counts only 7% of the message.

3. People form their first impressions, within 10 seconds of meeting you. And first impressions don’t change easily. If someone gets the wrong impression of you, it can take a long time to change his or her mind.

4. Sometimes it is hard to make sure that you always give a good first impression. One problem is that in different parts of the world, the same behavior may give people a different impression. In some countries, looking directly at someone is polite. It shows you are alert and confident. In other countries, looking directly at someone is considered aggressive. It is more polite to look away. Standing close to someone is considered friendly and supportive in some countries. In others you are expected to keep your distance.

5. Giving a good impression depends on many things. Everyone behaves in different ways, but when you are not sure you are giving a good impression, the best thing to do is to ask yourself “What would I think of someone who acted this way”