First impressions are an inevitable aspect whilst communicating with a newly acquainted individual. Simplistically, we can define them as our immediate perceptions of the other party conceived out of the verbal and non-verbal communication cues. Although they may be treated with different weights by different individuals, they almost invariably affect our reactions to the other party. Communication theorists have proposed different theories on the different ways people form first impressions and the implications they bring in an interpersonal communication or relationship. Amongst them, the attribution theory stands out as the model which I believe could provide a comprehensive explanation of the first impressions’ formation process and their effects.
The attribution theory attempts to describe how people explain the behaviour of others or themselves. Relevant to this discussion are the models proposed to explain how we attempt to determine the causation of others’ behaviours. A central explanation on this is the concept of “external” and “internal” attribution. In the concept of “external” attribution, we explain the behaviours of others based on factors outside these individuals’ control. On the other hand, in “internal” attribution, we explain the behaviours of others based on factors within these individuals. In addition, attribution theory highlights that one of the flaws during our attribution of others lies in our predisposition to explain the behaviour of others by over-emphasizing on “internal” attributions and under-emphasizing on “external” attributions. Although I agree that the flaw is detrimental, I feel that it is not easy for us to avoid entering into this pitfall and encourage ourselves to take on a more balanced approach whilst attributing the behaviours of others. This is because our emotions which have been elicited in response to the cues that the other party has transmitted usually make us reactive to the situation rather than rational. In order to highlight this issue, I would like to share my personal encounters with two professors whom I shall name as Prof X and Prof Y. They were professors who I met while I was in search for a prospective final year project professor.
During my first encounter with Prof X, I was greeted with a handshake and a warm smile. Thereafter, he invited me to take a seat and proceeded on by skimming through my academic records. Whilst doing so, he tried to relax the atmosphere by mentioning how I shared the same surname with one of his cousins. In addition, he shared with me his experiences of his research career peppering it with details of what drew him to his area of research, the difficulties he faced and the triumphs he made. Throughout this first encounter I had with Prof X, the conversation atmosphere felt comfortable and relaxed. At the same time, I felt that he treated me as an equal even though I am was just an amateur who was keen on embarking on research work. I believe the reason for the favourable first impression I had of Prof X was largely due to his words and actions which made me felt at ease and welcomed. It is not surprising that I had also attributed his friendly demeanour with character traits such as kindness and amiability.
However, my first meeting with Prof Y was a stark contrast. Prof Y appeared stern on the onset and the entire conversation continued with an awkward mood as she persistently put on a stern face even whilst I was expressing my views to her questions. In addition, her words of advice on the realities of life as a researcher sounded harsh. Consequently, an uncomfortable conversation atmosphere lingered and I could not resist but delve into the pitfall of over-attributing her behaviour with character traits of unfriendliness.
I must admit that through these experiences of mine, I have become more aware of the numerous emotions that can be elicited within ourselves during the course of interaction with others. In addition, I have gained a greater appreciation of how these emotions may shape our first impressions of others. Furthermore, I believe the experiences have underscored the dilemma which could ensue in the face of unfavourable communication climates; that is the internal struggle to avoid overemphasis on internal attribution while perceiving others.
Do you have a similar experience as I do? If you did, how did you manage your dilemma?
I completely agree that most of us have a tendency to over-emphasize on "internal" factors and under-emphasize on "external factors". However, it is difficult to avoid perceiving others in such a manner because in many cases, their (negative) behaviors have been highly consistent in the past. Let me share a personal experience to demonstrate my point here. A few semesters ago, I was in a project group where there was this particular person who was always late for meetings. As the project was approaching the deadline, my group leader called for a meeting so that we could all meet up to finish the project as soon as possible. This person, as usual, was late. My group leader got angry and ticked him off when he arrived. That person felt upset and tried to argue that it was not his fault as he was caught in a massive traffic jam. Now in this case, there is the possibility that his lateness is really due to a traffic jam. However, because he has consistently been late in the past, the blame was put on him (internal factor) rather than the traffic jam (external factor). Moreover, this person also had the tendency to be late for lectures and tutorials. In addition to that, he was the only one that was constantly late whereas others could always make it in time. From this scenario, one could understand why people generally have a tendency to focus on the internal factors rather than the external factors. It is commonly believed that one must always be responsible for his own actions rather than blaming it on circumstances. So to avoid unfavourable impressions, especially the first ones, one should always be prepared to handle any unexpected external circumstances because the ability to do so reflects well on you, in contrast to just blaming everything on "external" factors.
ReplyDeleteWe can only ever make a stab at guessing another's internal life and even those close to us, are often a mystery. Behaviour is the only clue we have. Unfortunately, it's often a poor indicator as what we choose to present to the world is sometimes a pretence. Accounts of how genial young men or motherly women turn out to have a more sinister side to their character are legion.
ReplyDeleteMrs Richardson