First impressions may be more accurate than we think.
Some people are better at accurately judging others' personalities than others. This study looked at how people form first impressions of others. It found that those who know more about what the average person is like tend to judge others more accurately. On the other hand, those who view others more positively tend to form more socially desirable impressions, but not necessarily more accurate ones. This suggests that having accurate knowledge about average personalities can help in forming more accurate first impressions.