First Impressions, Body Language, and Labels

An NYU/Harvard study on forming first impressions of others indicates that areas of the brain involved in value judgments and decisions form fast first impressions from perceived social information. That social information may include information such as stereotypes or labels like "intelligent" or "lazy" (the study used photographs and written descriptions rather than direct observation).

First impressions and labels have been suggested by Robert Axelrod to be one way for people to quickly understand whether they should cooperate or double-cross in an interaction. How does a person decide whether to cooperate with another or look out only for their own interest in an interaction at any cost? If nothing is known about a partner or that partner is not to be trusted, then it might be better to double-cross. But if the person can be reasonably sure their partner will cooperate, then its might be better to also cooperate. In a world where one must decide whether a potential partner is trustworthy in order to make a decision, first impressions and labels are one way (presumably) to assess the degree of trustworthiness or to anticipate the partner's actions in order to develop a good strategy for interaction.

However, a first impression based on the observable characteristics of someone who does not behave in ways aligned with social norms may be disastrously erroneous. If a person is averting their gaze, it might mean they are untrustworthy and lying...or, in the case of an autistic person, it might mean nothing at all beyond an honest dislike of eyeball-to-eyeball gaze.

First impressions based on stereotypes and labels instead of on observations can also be problematic. What value judgement might come along with the label "autism"--does the label stigmatize or aid in understanding? Does it generate fear? Or cause misplaced adoration? Does "autism" give a a negative first impression more like "lazy" or a positive first impression more like "intelligent?" I've often heard people cite not wanting the label to make a first impression on someone as a reason not to disclose, or even a reason not to get a diagnosis at all for fear the label will become accidentally known to others.

On the other hand, an autism label might mean an improved first impression, as it could help avoid a first impression based on misunderstood social behavior like averted eye gaze. Instead of distrust in the eye gaze case, the first impression might be based instead on the actual substance of the interaction. In a culture that has good acceptance and understanding of autism or disabilities, the negative value judgments associated with the label are not present.

Labels are indeed a double edged sword.