Why First Impressions Last, for Better or Worse

We've all heard, and probably cursed at the saying "You never get a second chance to make a first impression," and recent research led by a team of psychologists from Canada, Belgium and the United States shows there is literal truth to this adage.

Their findings suggest that a first impression, is, more or less, forever. That's because second and third impressions that contradict the first impression are not as pervasive, and only stick in certain situations. These new impressions tend to only influence us in certain circumstances (explained below). Otherwise the first impressions still act as as our default view of the person or people in question.