Page 20 - cs_u2

judged to be more conservative than men with long hair, but men with shaved heads may be
perceived to be aggressive. Whether a person has parted his or her hair, a mohawk, faux-hawk,

ponytail, curls, or bright pink hair also sends nonverbal signals to others.

Jewellery can also send messages with varying degrees of direct meaning. A ring on the

“ring finger” of a person‟s left hand typically indicates that they are married or in an otherwise
committed relationship. People also adorn their clothes or belongings that are consistent their

religious or cultural symbols.
Personal appearance carries much weight in terms of initial impressions, so meeting the
expectations and social norms for dressing, grooming, and other art factual communication is

especially important for impression management.

3.2.5. FIRST IMPRESSION

First impressions are very important - they can be about behaviour, attitude and dress.

Personal appearance is a major factor used to judge a person simply because the first

impression of a person is based on appearance. People can change their appearance by
changing their clothing styles, hairstyles, and other accessories or artifacts.

Visual impact is as important as verbal impact. People will very quickly make
assumptions based on your personal appearance, including the clothes you wear, how well-

groomed you are and your body language.

SUMMARY

Personal appearance, or how we dress, groom, and physically present ourselves,
communicates meaning. Color, clothing, hairstyles, and other factors influencing appearance
are all considered nonverbal communication. The way a person is groomed and dressed

influences how others perceive him or her. Personal appearance is commonly defined as a
person's outward appearance. Our personal appearance has a significant impact on our self-
image and the image we project. Personal appearance is a major factor used to judge a person

because a person's first impression is mainly based on appearance.

15