ABSTRACT
Every venture into public is essentially a tour of the human race, as people encounter and observe numerous other individuals. Sometimes we are purposeful sight-seekers, seeking to meet others, to learn what they are like, to evaluate or appraise them. At other times we resemble Ann Taylor’s main character in The Accidental Tourist, traveling though life without real engagement and learning about others as an incidental by-product of other pursuits. In this chapter, we argue that most impressions are formed “accidentally,” making it surprising that research to date has focused almost exclusively on impressions formed purposefully.
