A Word on First Impressions—and Walking the Walk

Fascinating research is continually uncovering all the tiny bits of data people perceive (even unconsciously) and analyze in a split second to make a judgment about the people in front of them.

Some studies have found that even before you approach someone, they are able to generate lasting first impressions about the kind of person you are — and people may make snap decisions long before you even open your mouth.

A 2012 study in the journal Cognition published findings that suggest that people can make pretty quick judgments about others based on an astonishingly small amount of visual data and “ motion components.

A 2019 study by Fink et. al. in Biology Letters explains how women are able to accurately assess a man’s physical strength by watching his gait, with strong walkers assessed as more attractive —however, this is not universal and varies depending on culture.

Another study by Nicolas Guéguen in the journal Gait and Posture explored how women who are ovulating (and therefore more fertile) may unconsciously walk more slowly and in a way that observers rate as sexier.

First impressions about who you are can greatly impact how attractive you seem to others —so it would be wise to make sure you’ re making the best first impression possible.

An upright posture usually signals to people that you are confident and self-assured, because people who are comfortable in themselves hold themselves (literally) in high regard.

Similarly, be mindful of how you walk and hold yourself in space.

Finally, be more aware of not just your posture, but how you move in space.

If you are comfortable in your skin, it shows.

Relationships and dating come down to sex and sexual attractiveness, and that comes down to what bodies think of other bodies.

The best way to make a first impression is to think carefully—what message might your body be sending long before you open your mouth to speak.