Asch also discovered that the order of the traits in the list can make a difference when forming first impressions. When a trait list contains an equal number of positive and negative traits, raters judge a person more favorably if the positive traits occur early in the list rather than at the bottom of the list.

These results suggest that impression formation is a dynamic process that unfolds over time. First impressions form very quickly from the first few bits of information we receive about a person, even if that information is not representative. Fortunately, other research shows that mistaken first impressions can be adjusted or reinterpreted later based on other information.