Arrange the following in sequence, starting with : three sub processe…

Arrange the following in sequence, starting with : three sub processes (in correct order) in impression formation and primacy and recency effects respectively :

(A) Drawing a conclusion about what kind of person the target is

(B) Selection of bits of information about the target person

(D) Organising the selected information in a systematic manner

(E) Information presented first has a stronger impression than the information presented at the end

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → (B), (D), (A), (E), (C)

Impression formation has three sub-processes, in this order, followed here by the two effects of the order of information:

(B) Selection of bits of information about the target person — selection: we take into account only some bits of information about the target person.
(D) Organising the selected information in a systematic manner — organisation: the selected information is combined in a systematic way.
(A) Drawing a conclusion about what kind of person the target is — inference: we draw a conclusion about what kind of person the target is.
(E) Information presented first has a stronger impression than the information presented at the end — the primacy effect: mostly, the information presented first has a stronger effect (first impressions are the lasting impressions).
(C) Whatever information comes at the end has a strong influence in impression formation — the recency effect: if the perceiver is asked to pay attention to all the information, whatever comes at the end may have a stronger influence.

Note: The three sub-processes of impression formation and the primacy and recency effects were there in the chapter ‘Attitudes and Social Cognition’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2022, and are not there in the NCERT book (2025-26).

NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “Impression Formation … The following aspects have been found in impression formation :

The process of impression formation consists of the following three subprocesses :
(a) Selection : we take into account only some bits of information about the target person,
(b) Organisation : the selected information is combined in a systematic way, and
(c) Inference : we draw a conclusion about what kind of person the target is.
Some specific qualities influence impression formation more than other traits do.
The order or sequence in which information is presented affects the kind of impression formed. Mostly, the information presented first has a stronger effect than the information presented at the end. This is called the primacy effect (first impressions are the lasting impressions). However, if the perceiver may be asked to pay attention to all the information, and not merely to the first information, whatever information comes at the end may have a stronger influence. This is known as the recency effect.…”