Psychology Survey

[Anonymous]

Thank you to the moderators, they have agreed that I can put the questions to you all.  And, thank you for all the responses to my initial post so far.

Okay, here goes.    The subject is 'Perception'.  How you perceive people the first time you meet them, and what factors lead you to your conclusions about those people, what makes you like them or dislike them etc.   Its not too complicated and you can make your answers as long or as short as you like.

This assignment does not have to be handed in until October so you have loads of time, and if you submit answers then change your mind, you have the right to withdraw.  You do not have to answer all the questions if you do not wish to.

1.       Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

2.       When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person?   Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?
3.       Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?
4.       What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?
5.       In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?  
6.       What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?
7.       If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?
8.       Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.
9.       Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?

Please answer these questions as honestly as possible. There is no right or wrong answers. As human beings we are all different and we all have different views.  (If someones sexual orientation influences your views on that person then say so. )  

You have the choice to remain totally anonymous and therefore I have a email purely for my college work, if you wish to use this then here it is     katywjon@hotmail.com

You also have the right to read my assignment when it is completed, if you wish to read it then let me know and I will send it to you.

Obviously, this is not a clinical study under test conditions, that would be pretty impossible in this situation, its only a general study.

Thank you all for taking the time to read and / or answer the survey. It will be a great help with my assignment.

Bless'd Be

[NachtSorcier]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

19, male.

2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

I try not to judge based on looks.  I pretty much get a good first impression if the person seems nice overall, can carry on a conversation, but isn't annoyingly nice or perky.  

3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

It seems that nobody ever has anything nice to say about anyone, so I take what people tell me about others with a grain of salt and figure out how I feel about said person for myself.

4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

If they can listen to what I say, which will be reciprocated of course, and not judge me based on what I look like, and if I can find them overall agreeable (ie, we don't strongly disagree on important subjects).  If for example a person is in favor of a group like the Ku Klux Klan, then no, I can't say I'd be that person's friend.  I admit, I can be hard to get along with and sometimes find it hard to accept other people who share different views than I do.

5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

I only have three friends, and yes, we agree on most points.

6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner?

Physical appearance is the first thing that catches my eye, but if they don't have a strong personality, that physical attraction doesn't mean much.

7. If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated?

Yes, I'd have to say that he does.  He's an older man, which is what I've always been attracted to, but when it comes to age, I don't limit myself.  I enjoy older men in general, but I won't turn down a younger man if he has a strong personality.

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

I can't recall a time when I've been wrong about a person I initially didn't trust, but I have been betrayed by people I thought were friends more times than I care to count.

9. Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions?

I've never interviewed anyone period, but if possible I would try to spend as much time with potential employees or members as possible to make sure I make the correct decision.  In short, I do believe that everyone deserves a closer look than an initial one, overall.

[RedRonin]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

Male.  50

2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

I actually try to a full sweep.  Body position/language is taken in as well as their response to eye contact.  Looks/voice/accent are relatively minor.  Attitude plays a part, but more to determine how I need to respond to them.
 
3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

Hardly.

4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

Time.  What I consider a friend is someone that would take a bullet for me without a second thought, as would I for them.  That kind of trust in a person isn't rushed.

Acquaintances, which is where 99% of people in my circle fall, still require a reasonable amount of observation even at that point.

5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

 No.  I have one that is so conservative he makes Ann Coulter look like a gypsy pole dancer.  Another is the polar opposite.
 
6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?

Hell, I wish I knew.
 
7. If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?

I don't have any real perceptions of what attracts me to a partner.  That, to me, makes the attraction conditional and the attraction would be gone if certain factors changed.  My current partner is mostly quite different from any of the predecessors (thankfully).

Truthfully, I think my choices of partners is more a matter of changes in me rather than some "thing" I'm looking for.

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

Many times.  Usually bad.
 
9. Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?

Have to.  When there's 30 applicants applying for one spot usually two thirds of them don't have all of the qualifications you're looking for.  The remaining third, though, show up with the credentials and experience needed.  The methodology at that point becomes highly subjective and sometimes a bad first impression is enough to disqualify a person.

[Anonymous]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

19, Female

2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

I watch their body language first, and their eyes. You can see everything you need to know in a person's eyes, their emotional state, their level of confidence, if they are scared, etc. The evenness of their voice and tone is also somthing I notice, accents, word choices, style of intonation. The last thing I look at, and most often do not judge, is their hair and clothing. The only thing clothing tells me is what they want people to see them as, but often times is diferent than their actual personality. (I also have what some people call the Sight, I know everything I need to know about a person by looking at them, its like a sixth sense or some sort of intuition.)

3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

No. I listen to what they have to say about that person, but it carries no weight in my decisions unless they are friends with that person. If that's the case, I'll give it a little consideration, but I don't act off it.

4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

Trust. I don't consider people friends easily. It takes a long time of getting to know them, them getting to know me, and then it comes down to whether I can trust them or not.

5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

Yes. We have the same standards and morals, and share similar views in almost everything.

6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?

Hmm...Personality and trustworthiness. Looks are icing on the cake if anything.
 
7. If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?

N/A

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

My initial thoughts have honestly never been wrong about a person.

9. Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?

N/A

[Sewa Yoleme]

1.       Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

Male, 50.

2.       When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person?   Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

Their spirit, basically---what vibes they're putting out there. Some people draw me in instantly, most give off a pretty neutral vibe, and a few make my spirit recoil, as if our magnetic poles were repelling one another.

Then I look for openness, that little hint that they might be approachable, might return a friendly word. I used to be pretty shy about that, but I've developed a comfort level in engaging strangers in passing conversation. Chatting with strangers at a party, though, is WAY out my league, unless their vibe really reaches out to me.

3.       Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

Only if my friends or family had an extremely strong negative reaction on an intuitive level.

4.       What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

Spiritual sensitivity and depth, and an openness of heart.

5.       In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

Pretty much, but there are a few notable exceptions. This doesn't seem to present any difficulty, though---we just see things differently. We can argue congenially, then move on; it never affects the friendship.

6.       What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?

Same answer as in #4 above, plus physical attractiveness. However, what I find attractive is usually VERY different from the norm!

7.       If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?

N/A -- I'm single.

8.       Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

Yes. Once in a while their initial vibe is good, but I later discover troubling character flaws. But that negative vibe has never once been wrong. So far.

9.       Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?

Yes. I used to interview around five people a day, and based many of my hiring decisions on my intuitive assessment of them.

.:. Sewa Yoleme

[Zenon]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)
- I am 26 years old and male

2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

- Voice/accent, vocabulary, their body language, and their warmness, but I take a look at everything since I am a detallist.  I have learned not to take first impressions too seriously.  Speaking of sexual orientation, I have good friends both gay and straight, but whenever I meet a very extroverted raving queen I really don't find much in common with that person, although that does not give me a negative view of the person.  My wife's best friend is a really cool guy but who's gayness is incomparable, and I don't really have that many conversation topics with him.


3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

- Yes, it happens all of the time.  People give you expectations of people you do not know.  It has happened that I was introduced to new people and later they tell me that they were utterly dissapointed with me!  Or the opposite.  It has also happened that I received terrible commentary about some people, but after knowing them for some time, I come to accept them as friends.


4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

- Honorability, honesty, tolerance.  I cannot be friends with someone who will lie to me or who does, in my opinion, terrible things.  I cannot be friends who openly declare their bigotry and hate towards people of different races, origin, or sexual orientation.


5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

- Yes and no.  Although we share some opinions I am very different from most people in my group of friends.  I do not tend to spend much time in groups of people anyway.


6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?
- Well, honestly, the very first thing that attracts me is how they look.

7. If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?
- Frankly, no.  People who I seemed to be attracted to were disappointing, or crazy.  My relationship with my wife has changed the way I view most people of the opposite sex.

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.
-  Yes, all of the time.

9. Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?
- No... I have only hired a person once, but I set him on a trial period.  My business is creative, and I know creative people are complex: ranging from genius and completely irresponsible to very responsible and no ability.

[Anonymous]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

25, female.



2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

I kind of read the general way that a person presents themselves, in body language, sense of style and obviously what they have to say for themselves.  Sense of style, e.g: hair, piercings etc can make a first impression, but this has to be backed up, for instance someone with crazy hair and piercings may be taken as confident until they can't susain eye contact and reciprocate relaxed conversation.

Also humour has a huge bearing- funny people can exude confidence and self-assuredness, however certain attempts at humour can indicate a facade, or nervousness.

Oh I get creeped out by a new person who over-uses my name, or repetedly makes physical contact like touching my arm...they are trying too hard!

3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

Perhaps when I about 13, and horrible.  Not genuinely influenced, but I would feign (not)liking someone to 'fit in'.  However, my genuine opinion was not really affected. In general, now I would be more inclined to give someone a fair go if I was warned against them, I'm very contrary!

4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

I guess if I knew that the person in question had wronged someone close to me- my loyalty would dictate that this person would get no further with me.  I can also be turned off of people who are saccharin sweet, or false seeming- or people who 'clearly are in love with themselves'!  Oh, and general shiftiness...rudeness. I'm a tough cookie apparently!

5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

No, we are a diverse bunch.  There are very few differences and discrepencies in views that I can't tolerate between my friends and me.  Sometimes it's nice to be able to agree and enjoy similar beliefs/attitudes- but also it's good to be able to enjoy debates.  I don't think it's a problem to have opposing views, unless it was something particularly offensive like racist/homophobic crap!
6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?

7. If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?

N/A  Although I am attracted to a person with whom I can have easy conversation, and a good laugh, I also like people who express themselves  fully and honestly through their words and actions, and the way in which they present themselves physically.

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

My intuition is usually fairly keen.  I have had problems when I have buried unease about an individual in a desire to get on.  I also realise now that percieved coldness does not necessarily mean that a person is uninterested or unfriendly- they may just need some time.  (That one took me a while!)

9. Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?

I have not been in that position, but  I hope that I would be pretty fair- even if it impossible not to let initial perceptions flavour my general take on a person.

Please answer these questions as honestly as possible. There is no right or wrong answers. As human beings we are all different and we all have different views. (If someones sexual orientation influences your views on that person then say so. )

I was an honest little egg.

Good luck with your study- I recently had to do an individual study project...it gave me many headaches!!!

BB, Npf


m

[Sebbi]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

17 Male

2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

I can't really put my finger on it. It a vibe I guess; out of the examples you gave I would probably say attitude.

3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

ThoughI think it's natural to, to an extent get affected by what other people think, generally speaking I won't get too sucked into the crowd's opinion of someone. If someone has a reputation my line will generally be "Well, I'll believe it when I see it for myself"

4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend?

When people hide things from me when they don't need to.

5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

There are as many crossovers as there are differences I think. It's hard to tell because am outsider may say that we're all identical or they might agree, we're a pretty diverse bunch.

6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?

Quirckiness. I've never really found myself attracted to someone if they don't have something that bit different about them.

Eyes

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

A lot of the time yes. I find I'll normally form an initial opinion of someone which generally isn't inaccurate as such but there's always something more interesting going on.

[Anonymous]

1. Please give me your age and gender. (male or female)

19, female.

2. When you are first introduced to or meet a new person, what is the main factor that influences your initial thoughts on that person? Is it looks (body type, hair style,etc), their voice and or accent, their attitude (are they warm or indifferent towards you)- this also includes body language, anything else that influences you?

Attitude and body language, mostly. How they present themselves also affects what I think of them.

3. Are you, have you ever been, or could you be, influenced by your friends and family/ peer group about a person you have just met ?

I'll listen to the opinions of friends and family about someone, but I don't let it affect my own opinions.

4. What is the main factor that would make you question whether that person would be accepted as a friend ?

Their tolerance of other people and honesty. If someone is intolerant and/or dishonest, I tend to avoid them.

5. In your group of friends, do you all have simmilar views in general ?

Not really. Many of my friends have views that have very little in common with my own. It makes for some interesting debates.

6. What is the first thing that attracts you to a partner ?

Their self-confidence and attitude.

7. If you are married or live with a partner, do they 'fit' in with your initial perception of what attracts you to a partner or are they different to previous partners that you would have usually dated ?

n/a

8. Have your initial thoughts about a person been wrong ? either in a good way or a bad way.

On occasion.

9. Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job or membership to a club and rejected them on the basis of your initial perceptions ?

Never interviewed anyone, but if I were to do so, I would give the applicant a chance. I don't think I would reject someone outright.