A new study done by a Harvard psychologist says that people judge you based on two questions when they first meet you.
It is not a strange fact that from the second that someone meets you, they already have an idea of who you are in their head. We have known this for quite some time now. However, is there a certain type of pattern to this type of judgement? Professor Amy Cuddy has been studying first impressions with psychologists Susan Fiske and Peter Glick for quite a bit of time and has found patterns in these short interactions.
Amy Cuddy says that you base your judgement when you first meet someone on two questions: "Can I trust this person?" and "Can I respect this person?" If one can say yes to these questions, then the new person is viewed positively. Therefore, you want to be perceived as having a yes to both of these questions. If given a yes to both of these questions, a person is said to be perceived with competence and warmth. Again, you want to be perceived as having both.
Which is more important? Well, it depends on what you are trying to portray to someone.
When it comes to being in a professional setting such as a job interview, a staff meeting, or a speech, it is believed that it is more important to come off as competent. The reason behind this is that people feel like they need to prove and show that they are smart enough and well equipped to handle whatever comes their way. However, what is the most important factor? Well, warmth is more important in how people actually evaluate you.
Cuddy says, "It is more crucial to our survival to know whether a person deserves our trust." This makes sense if you truly think about it. When you first meet a person, your original concern is not, "I wonder how smart they are and what they can help me with." Your first thought is probably more along the lines of, "Do I think that I can trust them, or do they seem sketchy?"
Cuddy has even written a book on this subject. She tells overachievers to watch out, because they will not get where they want to be in a job interview just because of their resume. People need to get to know a person and trust them first. It's not just about all of the things that you've done. She says that if someone who you are trying to influence doesn't have trust in you, you will not get far. Not trusting someone who is trying to influence you may even cause some suspicion.
"A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you've established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat." -Amy Cuddy
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