The power of first impressions

When we first meet someone, we swiftly form an impression of them and this first appraisal influences future reasoning about the person. Research in psychology has shown that we do not easily change our mind and tend to pay most attention to information that endorses our belief while overlooking evidence that challenges it. In child protection work, this common feature of reasoning can seriously bias and distort assessment of clients. The John Aukland Report is used as an illustration of how social workers uncritically accepted false information from the husband who made a good impression on them while disbelieving the wife who presented herself less favourably. It is suggested that, to minimise this bias in reasoning, social workers need to make their first impression explicit. They and their supervisors then need to recognise that they will find it easier to think spontaneously of evidence or interpretations that support this impression and that it takes a deliberate effort to think of evidence for the opposing view