People like you more than you think they do
What they found
After talking to someone new, people consistently underestimate how much the other person liked them. Researchers named this the liking gap.
How they know
Five studies - lab conversations, first-year roommates followed across a year, a workshop group. Both sides rated each conversation; partners' real ratings came out reliably higher than what people believed they were.
What it means for you
That uneasy feeling after a first meeting is usually wrong. The other person walked away thinking better of you than you assume - so send the message, propose the next meeting.
The limits
Strongest between people who just met; the gap narrows with familiarity. Based on self-reported ratings, mostly student samples.
This is a short takeaway in our own words, not a reproduction of the study. For the method, the sample and the caveats, read the original. Mind lives inside the Booking Minds app under the brain icon, where you can save and share each piece.