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A first impression can shape the evidence that follows

A first impression need not be fixed. Research distinguishes adding another fact from discovering information that changes what an earlier action meant, offering different ways to investigate how judgments are revised.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • What new information would make you reinterpret an action rather than simply excuse it?
  • How could an experiment test whether later evidence is evaluated differently after a favorable or unfavorable first impression?

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Psychology

Can an option nobody wants change what people choose?

Choosing between two offers can feel different when a third appears beside them. A decoy is less attractive than one option on the relevant features, but its presence does not reliably change every decision.

5–7 min

Can an option nobody wants change what people choose?

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How can you miss something that is right in front of you?

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Psychology

When a question reshapes a memory

After a car crash or a crime, the way an investigator phrases a single question can change what a witness remembers seeing. Research on eyewitness reports separates what someone originally observed from information introduced afterward, making question wording a crucial part of the evidence problem.

3–7 min

When a question reshapes a memory

Psychology3–7 minAfter a car crash or a crime, the way an investigator phrases a single question can change what a witness remembers seeing. Research on eyewitness reports separates what someone originally observed from information introduced afterward, making question wording a crucial part of the evidence problem.

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