How to Make a Good First Impression When Socially Anxious

Abstract

Making a good first impression is integral to forming and maintaining relationships, which affect nearly every aspect of one's life. Whether interviewing for a job or meeting a partner's friends and family, making positive first impressions can significantly improve one's quality of life. Research shows that social anxiety impedes a person's ability to make a good first impression. Wherein appearing anxious (i.e., tense, fidgeting, unstable vocal pitch) can cause a person to come across as less desirable, more submissive, detached, and less expressive. Social anxiety also contributes to one's negative interpretation of their impressions on others, further perpetuating this fear. However, there are specific strategies that can help people conquer social anxiety and make better first impressions. By creating self-distance (e.g., non-first-person self-talk, reflecting as if watching a stranger), focusing on others (e.g., learning about others, performing acts of kindness), and increasing self-expression, one can decrease social anxiety and make better first impressions.