First Impressions and Biases

First impressions carry a great deal of importance in a range of settings, such as in new relationships, internships, or job opportunities. The way we present ourselves physically may have a lasting impression on how others perceive us in a positive or negative manner. Past research on this topic has found that employees felt that customers would perceive their company negatively if the employees had an untidy physical appearance and casual clothing (Alpers & Gerdes, 2006). Similarly, the purpose of the current study was to examine if the physical appearance and clothing of the same subject had a difference in the way her personality and characteristics were perceived. Participants included University of the Pacific college students that ranged from in ages from 18-40 years old. Participants were recruited through social media advertisements and postings around campus. The experimental group was given a photo of a female test subject in a well put together outfit and tidy hair and makeup and the control group was given a photo of the same female test subject in a sleep casual outfit, with messy hair and no makeup. Both groups were given the same description of the test subject and received the same questionnaire consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions and 10 Likert scale questions. The questionnaire focused on questions regarding the test subject’s social level, confidence level, and performance in school or work. Data collection of this study is ongoing and will be presented via poster. Keywords: physical appearance, perception, social level, confidence, impression