The impressions we form when we first meet someone, whether in-person or online, are said to have a long-lasting impact on us. They can be decisive of the nature and quality of the relationship.

If we get a negative hunch about our new acquaintance we will no doubt wish to discontinue the conversation, not see them again or at best, keep very infrequent contact. When that happens, there is very little the other person can do to change our impression and any new piece of information is filtered through this negative feeling.

However, if from the very first moments of meeting someone we sense that we like them and that we communicate well, then we quickly feel at ease and we are more willing to open up and share information about ourselves. There is a chance for this relationship to develop into a friendship or even romantic love.

This may not strike you as something new, but it is a theory that has now also been scientifically demonstrated following experiments conducted by the University of Minnesota, in Ohio.

Social scientists examined and analysed the initial impressions formed by 164 pairs of students who met for the first time. The duration of each meeting was from 3 to 10 minutes long. Aside from their impression students also had to state how they anticipated this relationship to develop and what they specifically had in their minds, e.g. whether they would try and see the other person again and if so, how frequently.

Nine weeks later the students met again with the researchers, describing what had happen since and how the relationship had actually evolved. The scientists found that those meetings which were right from the start perceived in a positive light had developed into close relationships, regardless of the duration of the first meeting (e.g. whether it was 3, 6 or 10 minutes long).

They supported therefore the theory that the nature of the initial contact is crucial as it sets the ground for the relationship to ripen.

This also goes to support the theory that when we first meet new people, whatever the nature of contact (whether by phone, email, chat, or in person) we don’t react logically but emotionally.

In fact, the weight given to first impressions is almost irrational, as it makes us oblivious to all other signals, especially if we are looking to strike a relationship with the other sex.

Parship is active in thirteen countries, including Ireland, and owes much of its success to the practical implementation of this First Impressions Theory.

Specialising in the encouragement of serious and long-term relationships it does not simply put you into contact with anyone registered on the site.

For example, the Irish dating site takes into consideration the fact that people are looking for lasting relationships built on mutual interest, trust and attraction.

On top of this, as soon as you have registered your interest for dating in Ireland, Parship prepares you so that by the time you meet someone you have already formed a positive impression about them. It does that by making specialized partner suggestions that match your data. You get the chance to find out all about your possible partner’s traits and interests as well as the extent to which you two match before you even contact them, so by the time that you do make contact your initial impression is positive and the ground for the relationship as constructive as it can be.