{
  "title": "Assessing a partner: what an overall impression can distort",
  "url": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/evaluer-un-partenaire-ce-que-l-impression-generale-peut-deformer-en",
  "language": "en",
  "datePublished": "2026-03-26",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "SHR — Swiss Human Resources",
    "url": "https://www.shr.swiss",
    "address": "Esplanade de Pont-Rouge 9A, 1212 Lancy, Suisse"
  },
  "summary": "A convincing presentation does not establish a partner’s reliability. Research shows why this distinction can become difficult to maintain when making a decision.",
  "section": "Research",
  "topic": "Decision-making",
  "place": {
    "name": "Fribourg",
    "region": "Fribourg",
    "country": "CH"
  },
  "keyPoints": [
    {
      "heading": "What the literature establishes",
      "point": "Edward Thorndike (1920, Journal of Applied Psychology) described an error in assessments of people: ratings of different qualities were excessively interrelated."
    },
    {
      "heading": "An impression that changes specific judgements",
      "point": "Richard Nisbett and Timothy Wilson (1977, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) showed students an instructor who appeared either warm or aloof, depending on the version."
    },
    {
      "heading": "The premature conclusion",
      "point": "One might conclude that all interpersonal impressions should be excluded and decisions based solely on documents."
    },
    {
      "heading": "What the evidence cannot guarantee",
      "point": "Historical observations of personal assessments and the experiment involving students do not directly measure the quality of corporate supplier selection."
    },
    {
      "heading": "A practical check in Fribourg",
      "point": "Within SHR’s « Prise de décision » programme, an exercise applicable in Fribourg would compare document-based assessments with subsequent post-interview assessments of an agrifood supplier or a partnership between bilingual industry and the university sector."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "authors": "Thorndike",
      "year": "1920",
      "source": "Journal of Applied Psychology"
    },
    {
      "authors": "Wilson",
      "year": "1977",
      "source": "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology"
    }
  ],
  "wordCount": 390,
  "image": "https://www.shr.swiss/img/blog-editorial-2026-03-26-en.jpg?v=4",
  "translations": {
    "fr": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/evaluer-un-partenaire-ce-que-l-impression-generale-peut-deformer",
    "en": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/evaluer-un-partenaire-ce-que-l-impression-generale-peut-deformer-en",
    "de": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/evaluer-un-partenaire-ce-que-l-impression-generale-peut-deformer-de",
    "it": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/evaluer-un-partenaire-ce-que-l-impression-generale-peut-deformer-it"
  },
  "relatedPages": {
    "programme": "https://www.shr.swiss/formation/prise-de-decision/fribourg",
    "city": "https://www.shr.swiss/formations-ville/fribourg",
    "blog": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog"
  },
  "citationPolicy": "Citation autorisée avec mention « SHR — Swiss Human Resources » et lien vers l'article."
}