For our ancestors.A second decision based on subtle visual cues may be a matter of life and death.Today, the first impression will still cause an automatic response, which may or may not be accurate.These automated responses must be analyzed and filtered to ensure survival in a world where social constraints and nuances add many levels to personal interaction.Goman presents five filters for screening first impressions: 1.Context: The first filter includes determining whether non-verbal behavior is appropriate for their context.A man is screaming, waving his arm, possibly reacting to danger, or watching a football match.Variables such as settings, time of day, and past experiences shape the context of any behavior.2.Cluster: people with arms crossed may just be cold, but when paired with frowning and shaking their heads, these arms reliably indicate an unacceptable attitude.A good rule of thumb is to look for two other reinforcement behaviors before giving meaning to the first one.3.Consistency: when people believe what they say, their body language confirms this and their expressions and gestures are consistent with what they say.Inconsistency (saying "I'm really happy" while frowning, for example) may reveal the speaker's own inner conflict between opinion and discourse, or betray deception.4.Consistency: consider whether behavior is not typical.When a warning comes from someone who is considered habitually unstable, it carries more weight.It is helpful to know a person's basic behavior before reading any expression too much.5.Culture: The Last filter is becoming more and more important in today's global economy.People under any pressure tend to restore the body language of their culture or subculture.In this case, the cultural literacy of the two speakers can prevent misconceptions.
