A common example of this is financial experts explaining why markets went up or down after the fact. Hindsight bias occurs when past events are interpreted as predictable based on current information. This could be due to beliefs you picked up from your parents, peers, something you read, or anywhere else. The tendency to interpret current facts in a way that conforms to pre-existing beliefs. There are several types of cognitive bias. Cognitive biasĬognitive bias refers to any errors made in thinking or intellectual calculations that are based on unconscious oversimplifications. However, studies have brought us some solid conclusions. Psychologists have different ideas and theories on the subject. The halo effect is a complex mechanism that occurs for several reasons. It can influence how people treat acquaintances, co-workers, fellow students, or strangers at a party, meeting, or public place. The halo effect doesn’t only apply to institutions and professional settings. There’s a good reason why attorneys have their clients dress in their best suits (even when these people don’t normally wear suits at all).Īside from juries rendering verdicts, the halo effect may influence a judge when passing a sentence. However, judges and jury members are human and may be influenced by the halo effect.Ī defendant with an attractive and well-groomed appearance may be judged less harshly than someone who appears rougher around the edges. People may also mistake other desirable qualities, such as being well-spoken and articulate, for intelligence or integrity. People may judge a candidate or elected official based on their appearance.Īn attractive person isn’t necessarily honest or a good leader. Politics is another area where the halo effect can have undesirable consequences. The photos featuring people usually display those who are considered attractive and glamorous. Individuals and organizations may consciously or unconsciously use images that are considered more eye-catching and persuasive on websites and social media.Īn easy way to see evidence of this is to browse through any site offering stock photos. Today’s social media influencers may also benefit from the halo effect. This goes back to the early days of television when celebrities were often hired as spokespeople for products in commercials. The halo effect can make people think that people who are attractive and glamorous can be trusted on matters on which they have little expertise. In Felicia Nimue Ackerman’s essay, The Halo Effect in Academia, the author relates how hero worship of renowned professors can interfere with objective thinking. The halo effect can also occur in the opposite direction here, such as in student evaluations of professors.Īdditionally, the halo effect may be a factor when it comes to teachers, professors, and administrators attaining higher status, promotions, or tenure. This assumption can impact grades as well as the overall attitude teaching staff have toward students. They may, whether consciously or not, consider students they find more attractive to be smarter and more competent than others. Teaching staff may be influenced by the halo effect at all education levels, from kindergarten to graduate and professional university programs. An example would be when a worker who is considered more attractive is promoted or paid more than their co-workers when they don’t deserve it. The halo effect can have serious ramifications in the workplace if people are treated differently based on their appearance. The halo effect may be a factor in the following areas: Workplaces It’s sometimes called the “physical attractiveness stereotype.” However, the halo effect tends to focus mainly on physical appearance. He found that giving someone a high rating in one area carried over into other areas.įor example, someone who scores highly in one area, whether it be attractiveness, intelligence, athleticism, or competence in a particular field, is often presumed to have other positive qualities. He asked military officers to rate soldiers on a variety of qualities. Thorndike’s original study was a little broader than just focusing on attractiveness. Psychologist Edward Thorndike coined it in a 1920 paper entitled A Constant Error in Psychological Ratings. The halo effect occurs when people place metaphoric halos over others, usually for superficial reasons.

Halos are often found in traditional religious art, depicted as a disk or circle of light hovering over the head of a saint or other holy figure. While the concept is very simple, its consequences can be far-reaching and often harmful.

More specifically, it’s the tendency to assume someone you find attractive also possesses other desirable qualities like honesty, competence, or character.

The halo effect means judging people by their appearance.

Halo effect example