In a few tenths of a second, humans create an image of others that is not very different from the one we create when we are given more time to do so. According to a study carried out at Princeton University, in New Jersey (United States), from that first impression we already judge the aggressiveness, effectiveness or degree of trust that a certain person deserves in us . To do this, we rely on their physical features and non-verbal communication, such as their gestures or the way they look.
In fact, that initial image is so powerful that the facts rarely disprove it. Research led by psychologist Jeremy Biesanz, from the University of British Columbia, in Canada, shows that once we have put a qualifier on someone, it is difficult for us to radically change him, whatever he does. For example, if we have decided that someone is harmless and a good person, we will probably continue to think about it in the background even if they have attacked us.
This imprint is actually the result of an evolutionary adaptation: when our ancestors were among themselves, they had to quickly decide if the other subject was to be trusted . That is precisely the main characteristic that we still pick up at a first glance: the trust that the other person generates in us. In the past, that decision could mark the survival of the individual. Although nowadays this kind of quick judgment about the other does not seem so necessary, the force of the first impression is still etched in our genetics.
While judging others may seem innocuous enough (as we can do this with some anonymity), it is far from harmless to ourselves and others in general. Also, remember that being critical also deprives us of the opportunity to strengthen our empathy muscle.
But why do we do it? Our brains try to understand why people do the things they do. We make quick judgments about people because it leads us to the next thing our brain needs to work. In other words, it is the quickest way to answer the question that arises when we see someone do something that makes no sense or evokes a visceral response of anger or disgust.
We tend to find ourselves immersed in various types of judgments, but the easiest or default way is to judge the character of a person. When we see someone do something that we think is abominable, stupid, or ridiculous, we are quick to say that it is exactly that. To qualify it as such. This happens, above all, when we do not know that person and we only get a snapshot of them through their actions at that moment.
How often do we judge others?
If you stop to think about it, you would be surprised how many times you do it and how much space in your mind that judgment occupies throughout the day. Ideally, we will ‘turn the tables’ and focus on improving our compassion and empathy for others, because it will also make us happier.
