When Sarah takes her new boyfriend home to meet her parents she is very nervous. Trying to explain that he is anxious about the meeting, she introduces Brendon, telling her parents that he is anxious, nervous, and very quiet. Later on, after having calmed down considerably, when her brother comes home she introduces Brendon as quiet because of his nervousness and anxiety about meeting her family. Based on the primacy effect, which of the following will be true about Brendon's impression on Sarah's parents and her brother?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primacy effect suggests that information presented first is usually remembered better or has more influence on perception than information that comes later. In this scenario, Sarah's parents were introduced to Brendon with three descriptors: anxious, nervous, and very quiet, which might create a more negative impression. Her brother, however, only heard Brendon described as "quiet" due to his nervousness and anxiety, which could be perceived more neutrally or even positively compared to the more negative descriptors of "anxious" and "nervous." Therefore, her brother might have a more favorable impression because the introduction focused on a less negative trait.

When Sarah Takes Her New Boyfriend Home to Meet Her