Judge Cheryl Cole commented after the performance, “I don’t know why…I had a preconceived idea, but I didn’t expect it to be that good.”
Where did this “preconceived idea” come from?
19-year-old student Stacey Soloman walked onto the stage, with her high shorts showing off her long, slim legs, and a wide smile across her face, which showed her distinctive big teeth.
We hear the judges’ (and our own) perception of her from the time Stacey started talking. When she gave her name, the crowd reacted a little, probably to the way she spoke.
Judge Simon Cowell and the audience must have also had a certain perception of where Stacey is from, probably based on her personality, as they reacted as though it was not possible that Stacey was from Dagenham when she said so.
We get these perceptions from the way Stacey speaks; her accent and her responses to questions, where she comes across as rather ditzy. She seemed to be a happy-go-lucky kind of personality because she never stopped smiling.
We might have even labelled her as a ‘bimbo’ because she seemed to be that of a prototype, based on the above qualities. Hence, we would have also, to some extent, thought the same way as Judge Cheryl Cole did, and not expect Stacey to be able to sing well.
Then when Stacey actually started singing, there was a change in the way she carried herself. She was very serious, sang in a very mature voice, and she sang well! Apparently, all the judges were surprised! This is proof that they indeed had inaccurate perceptions of Stacey’s ability to sing initially.
We all know the famous saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’. However, we often do. We perceive someone’s personality or even ability from his or her appearance first. Sometimes we are right, perhaps when people dress according to social norms. For example, when a hip-hop dancer dresses in a big shirt and baggy pants. However, there are times where we are wrong about the way people are, hence we cannot apply the same general stereotype to everyone.
Also, I believe that most of you did not know that Stacey is a single mother, right? Well, she is.
You just had a MISperception!
September 13, 2009 at 11:21 am |
Yes! I think sometimes we unknowingly judge people based on their outward appearance and how they carry themselves and unknowingly we overlook and do not see the beauty within them. Well analysed! (:
September 13, 2009 at 2:29 pm |
The reason why we come to a conclusion of a person quickly these days is probably that we are too pressed for time. A quick judgement allows our mind to work along these perceptions. Thereby, making us more comfortable immediately. If not, why the need to impress in the short span of minutes in interview? Or even in auditions where one is judged only by one song? What if, that particular person is good at that only song? We will never know, untill we spend more time to understand people. But, do we ???
September 13, 2009 at 3:44 pm |
Hmm, that’s an insightful thought. That we base our perceptions on first impressions due to the lack of time. Yea, it might be a wake-up call to all human beings, that we don’t just DO things, but we should give more thought to BEING people, by seeking to understand one another to forge better bonds, improve relationships, and even choose the right people for jobs or contests.
September 13, 2009 at 3:25 pm |
indeed very often because we judge a book by its cover our perceptions are flawed. we should learn to go beyond the cover and look in depth and always have an open mind to things!=)
September 13, 2009 at 3:39 pm |
haha! Yes i agree about the misconceptions and the biases we have when we percieve something! Even the incredible is credible!
September 13, 2009 at 4:01 pm |
人不可貌相！
Some people spend an entire lifetime trying to understand a person and still failed..
So how much can one really tell about a person just by 1st impressions?
It takes time and a lot more than just words to know someone..
Before you jump to conclusions about someone, think again..
Don’t be so quick to judge, everyone deserves a chance..
Cheers!
September 13, 2009 at 4:32 pm |
We humans do it all the time. “1st impression is the most important”. Many times the 1st impression is the MISperception! Like Susan Boyle of Britian’s Got Talent.
She didn’t have to speak. All she did was walk onto stage & everyone (even the judges) had already sum her up. But when she sang….. it become a totally different scenario.
We are all at fault of stereotyping. I believe the media has a huge part to play in how we form our perceptions.
September 13, 2009 at 5:58 pm |
good one !i do think that people in the society these days tend to assume and perceive something and think that they got it right. I think this is a good post!keep it up!
September 13, 2009 at 7:23 pm |
I believe everybody will have perception of somebody whenever they see a person regardless that is good or bad. i believe that is a part of first impression?
First impression is important, but usually it’s wrong. we need time to know people, know who they are, what they are, but clearly, we don’t spend enough time to find out who they really are because of the bad first impression(perception) that we have on someone.
sometimes i think it’s not that we don’t have e time, but rather, we choose not to spend the time to know someone. we always have choices don’t we? to spend time and get to know that someone or not spending time to know that someone,(to be or not to be) that is the question. :p
Not everybody can be like stacey, who can shock people with her voice, changing their perception of her immediately.
this is bad, but that is just part and parcel of life.
September 14, 2009 at 8:41 am |
It’s a common misconception that young people are not as good as older people. That is so wrong.
I believe strongly that everyone is strong in their very own ways, even if it may not be visually apparent.
But well, I think we’ll still have to work hard towards changing such social norms.
visit my blog too yeah.
Kai Ting
http://commmediadiscourse.wordpress.com
September 15, 2009 at 1:51 pm |
oh I didn’t actually see it as the judges thought that Stacey was just a young singer-wannabe. Hmm, perhaps that might have been one of the misconceptions they had too!
September 14, 2009 at 1:38 pm |
“Bimbo” – now that’s too harsh. My first impression was, yes she speaks funny but she’s probably just another normal girls trying to make it big on stage.
I think most people are too quick to make judgements based solely on first impressions.
Wake up you shallow people!
September 15, 2009 at 1:48 pm |
yea, probably too harsh.
September 15, 2009 at 4:25 pm |
Yes, most people are likely to start judging a person’s character by the way he/she dresses or speaks.
I believe everyone has had experiences of a misperception of something, or someone. Seriously, I just had one thanks to you. I thought she’s just the girl next-door trying to make it to showbiz big time; never thought she’s already a single mum! Hmmmmm….
September 16, 2009 at 12:22 pm |
First impressions DO count. Perhaps they didn’t take her seriously at first due to the the way she dressed or the way she carried herself but who can blame them?
Take for example a job interview, if one had the proper qualifications of the job but dressed poorly, arrived late and stammered (from being nervous) throughout the interview, he probably wouldn’t get the job.
As Dana May Casperson, author of Power Etiquette: What You Don’t Know Can Kill Your Career says ” it takes only 3 to 5 seconds to make a (poor) first impression, but it takes a whole career to undo it.”
Its harsh but that’s life.
September 16, 2009 at 1:07 pm |
Yea, the harsh reality of life. Yea, nobody can blame them. But if on our own individual part, we choose to hold back our judgements from the start, perhaps we would be pleasantly surprised by the outcome, or maybe the outcome would be more positive than if we had prior judgement. Thanks for your point!
September 16, 2009 at 1:08 pm |
People always say don’t judge a book by its cover, but how many of them actually practice what they preached?
The first impression is still the most important because people base their opinions of other on it. Unfortunately, the first impression is usually wrong. People really need to realize that they can’t judge a person meeting for the first time, just by his/her appearance and behaviors
September 30, 2009 at 10:08 am |
Hello!
Yeah people judge don’t they? Part and parcel of a flawed cognitive schemata, if you will. Their personal construct of her was that she was a pretty girl, thus a bimbo, thus can’t sing.
Well, hopefully with our added knowledge in COM101 will we know how to be more careful with our perceptions.