Which of the following best explains why the first impression of an individual usually sticks?

• A. The recency effect makes the most recent information more memorable than earlier impressions.
• B. The primacy effect causes initial information to have a stronger influence on perception.
• C. Cognitive dissonance leads people to change their first impression when presented with new information.
• D. The mere exposure effect makes repeated encounters with a person more influential than the first impression.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of the primacy effect, which refers to the psychological phenomenon where information presented first has a stronger impact on perception and memory than information presented later.
2. Recognize that first impressions are formed based on initial information about an individual, and due to the primacy effect, this initial information tends to be more influential and memorable.
3. Contrast the primacy effect with the recency effect, which emphasizes the influence of the most recent information, and note that the question asks why the first impression (initial information) sticks, not the most recent.
4. Consider other options such as cognitive dissonance and the mere exposure effect, and understand that these do not primarily explain why first impressions are more enduring than later information.
5. Conclude that the primacy effect best explains why the first impression of an individual usually sticks, as it highlights the stronger influence of initial information on perception.