It seems our minds are wired to think about others in ways that aren't always logical. This was a very hot topic these days with the incidents in France associated to Muslims. The people involved were just a few, but there was a strong association to Muslims as a group. After reading the comments here and in the media, I wanted to go deeper on learning how we judge. Were you ever judged based on stereotypes?

Let´s check the first common shortcut: WE'RE PRONE TO RELYING ON STEREOTYPES AND OTHER RULES OF THUMB. Not only do we size people up too quickly, we often fall back on stereotypes to help us do it. The stereotypes can be negative or positive, subtle or exaggerated. We use our own, personal rules. Do you tend to judge others based on stereotypes?

WE'RE TOO QUICK TO JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON SUPERFICIAL IMPRESSIONS. When we meet new people we can't help but form a snap opinion of them, based largely on surface information. Studies show we often get this first impression wrong. Making a quick, and possibly inaccurate judgment is a shortcut. Do you tend to judge people as soon as you see them?

OUR OVERALL IMPRESSION OF SOMEONE IS SOMETIMES BASED ON A FEW KEY TRAITS. If we feel someone has a few key positive traits, we'll see them positively on the whole. This halo effect is often mentioned in regards to attractiveness. If we see someone as having a key undesirable trait or two, then our overall impression of them will be more negative. Do you judge people based on a few key traits?

ONCE WE'VE MADE UP OUR MIND ABOUT SOMEONE, IT'S HARD TO CHANGE OUR OPINION. First impressions are strong, but they aren't everything. People sometimes admit they were initially wrong about someone but it is harder than it should. Once we've formed a belief, a confirmation bias can kick in where we look for information that supports our views, and selectively ignore that which doesn't. Did you ever change your mind after getting a strong first impression?