How much do first impressions actually matter?

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First impressions matter. When we see a photo of a politician, a job applicant or a potential date, we often make an instant judgment about them. But that doesn't mean these first impressions are right. And the consequences can be serious. The look on a candidate’s face can sway voters in elections and even judges handing out the death penalty. Professor Alexander Todorov from Princeton University in the US has written a new book called Face Value: The Irresistible Influence of First Impressions – about the things which strike us first when we see a face. (Picture: Getty Images)