Which term describes incorrect conclusions that persist from the first impression despite evidence to the contrary?

Which term describes incorrect conclusions that persist from the first impression despite evidence to the contrary?

• A. recency bias
• B. halo effect
• C. primacy errors
• D. confirmation bias

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how the first information we receive can lock in our judgments, so that we keep an initial impression even when new facts contradict it. This tendency is called primacy errors (primacy bias) in impression formation. It explains why a first negative or positive impression can color all subsequent perceptions and lead to persistent conclusions despite evidence to the contrary—the initial judgement refuses to be fully revised. Think of a hiring scenario: a candidate’s early interview impression might set a strong baseline, and later positive or neutral information may be interpreted in a way that reinforces that initial view, rather than updating it accurately. That persistence of the initial impression is the hallmark of primacy errors. Recency bias would make the most recent information more influential, not the first. The halo effect involves one standout trait coloring judgments about other traits, not necessarily the persistence of an initial impression. Confirmation bias involves seeking or favoring information that confirms preconceptions, but the question centers on the lasting impact of the first impression itself, which is why primacy errors is the best fit.

The idea being tested is how the first information we receive can lock in our judgments, so that we keep an initial impression even when new facts contradict it. This tendency is called primacy errors (primacy bias) in impression formation. It explains why a first negative or positive impression can color all subsequent perceptions and lead to persistent conclusions despite evidence to the contrary—the initial judgement refuses to be fully revised.

Think of a hiring scenario: a candidate’s early interview impression might set a strong baseline, and later positive or neutral information may be interpreted in a way that reinforces that initial view, rather than updating it accurately. That persistence of the initial impression is the hallmark of primacy errors.

Recency bias would make the most recent information more influential, not the first. The halo effect involves one standout trait coloring judgments about other traits, not necessarily the persistence of an initial impression. Confirmation bias involves seeking or favoring information that confirms preconceptions, but the question centers on the lasting impact of the first impression itself, which is why primacy errors is the best fit.