their 2009 study on a neural mechanism of first impressions.It’s possible to change a mind later on — but it’s easier to make a good first impression right at the start.The problem, as a lot of us will recognize, is that when humans get put under any kind of pressure conversationally, we don’t tend to make good impressions. We’re prone to talking too much about ourselves and forgetting the names of those we speak with.Luckily, the benefit of having monkey brains that often let us down when we most need them is that they’re relatively easy to hack.
You can train yourself to remember people’s names, for example, by using some simple mnemonic devices. You can subtly influence your own actions and those of others with material priming.
