We’ve all heard the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but let’s face it – many do it anyway. From job interviews to first dates, initial impressions often color our perceptions. But what if a good night’s sleep could help us see beyond that shiny dust jacket? A study from Duke University suggests that when it comes to making balanced judgments, sometimes it’s best to literally sleep on it.
In a series of clever experiments published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, researchers Alyssa H. Sinclair, Yuxi C. Wang, and R. Alison Adcock set out to tackle an age-old question: Is it better to start strong with a good first impression, or end on a high note? Their findings not only challenge conventional wisdom but also offer intriguing insights into how our brains process and remember rewarding experiences.
The study centered around a virtual “garage sale” task, where participants rummaged through digital boxes filled with household items of varying value. Unbeknownst to the bargain hunters, each box contained the same total value of goods. The catch? The distribution of high-value items – the hidden gems among the junk – varied from box to box.
When asked to evaluate the boxes immediately after the task, participants consistently favored and overvalued boxes with valuable items at the top. This “primacy effect” persisted even when researchers tweaked various factors, such as whether participants actively chose the boxes or passively viewed them.
“We found that people are strongly biased by first impressions,” notes lead author Allie Sinclair, who conducted the research as part of her Ph.D. in Dr. Adcock’s lab, in a media release.
This bias was so strong that participants not only preferred boxes that “started strong” but also estimated their value to be about 10% higher than reality.
Here’s where things get interesting: When participants were asked about their preferences after a day’s delay, the story changed dramatically. Boxes with clusters of high-value items were equally preferred, regardless of whether these treasures appeared at the beginning, middle, or end of the sequence.
“They made more rational choices, equally favoring boxes with clusters of valuable items at the beginning, middle, or end,” Sinclair explains.
This shift suggests that our brains process and consolidate memories of rewarding experiences differently over time, potentially leading to more balanced decision-making.
The implications of this research extend far beyond virtual garage sales. Consider the business world, where first impressions often reign supreme. A job candidate who starts strong might overshadow equally qualified competitors in an interviewer’s immediate recollection. However, if that interviewer sleeps on it before making a decision, they might develop a more nuanced view, considering standout moments from throughout each interview.
Or think about the restaurant industry, where immediate post-meal reviews can make or break an establishment. A diner’s glowing review based on an excellent appetizer might not reflect the overall quality of the meal. But when deciding whether to return weeks later, that same diner might weigh memorable dishes from any part of the dining experience equally.
Intriguingly, the study also found that the act of evaluating an experience immediately seemed to cement the primacy bias. When participants were asked about some boxes right away and others after a delay, they maintained their preference for “early reward” boxes even after sleeping on it. This suggests that the process of recalling and evaluating an experience shortly afterward can lead to a lasting bias in favor of first impressions.
Source: https://studyfinds.org/sleep-impact-first-impressions/?nab=0