# Why We Feel Judged Before Knowing Someone

> Why we feel judged before knowing someone, explained by science.
- Title: Why We Feel Judged Before Knowing Someone · Psychologies
- Summary: Why we feel judged before knowing someone, explained by science. Our brains form quick judgments that can be wrong, but staying longer with someone improves…
- Keywords: first impression, negative bias, brain, social judgment, princeton university, 2006 study, 2019 study, anxiety, cognitive bias, Feel, Judged, Knowing
- Source: Psychologies — https://psychologies.com/moi/moi-et-les-autres-moi/Pourquoi-avons-nous-parfois-la-certitude-quune-personne-nous-juge-avant-meme-de-nous-connaitre-636954
- Author: Ava Skoupsky
- Published: 2026-09-26T21:01:32+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: first impression, negative bias, brain, social judgment, princeton university, 2006 study, 2019 study, anxiety, cognitive bias
## First Impressions
Our brains form quick judgments about people, but these can be wrong.

> Notre cerveau se fait une première impression en quelques instants
## How Judgments Work
Longer exposure to someone improves judgment accuracy but doesn't guarantee it.

> Un temps d'exposition plus long peut renforcer la confiance dans les jugements
## Negative Bias
The brain often misinterprets situations as negative, especially when anxious.

> Le biais d'interprétation négative se traduit par une tendance à donner automatiquement une signification négative
## Anxiety and Misjudgment
People with anxiety interpret ambiguous situations as negative more often than others.

> Les personnes anxieuses ont davantage tendance à interprêter des situations ambigües comme négatives
## What Happens Next
Stay longer with someone to get a more accurate impression of them.

> La prochaine fois qu'une personne vous regardera sans un sourire, rappelez-vous que votre cerveau peut tout simplement vous orienter vers une pensée négative non justifiée
## Key takeaway

Our brains form quick judgments that can be wrong, but staying longer with someone improves accuracy.