The Halo Effect is defined in our book as the tendency to let our perceptions of one positive trait to influence perceptions of other positive traits. In contrast the Horns Effect is defined by the tendency to allow perceptions of one negative trait to influence perceptions of other negative traits. In both cases these perceptions that are formed have the very real possibility to be terribly incorrect.
The after affects of the Halo Effect:
Everybody knows that one pretty girl from high school that was also perfect at everything and everyone loved. This girl would typically be the cheer captain, or the star soccer player, or the Class president. She had flawless skin and perfect hair and makeup that looked effortless. This girl seems to have no physical flaws to be seen, so that must mean that she's perfect right?
Except she's not. She doesn't understand her math homework, so copies off her neighbor. Her mother works three jobs, so she has to stay up late to take care of the her little brother and clean the house, making her only get 5 hours of sleep every night. She's not perfect, but all around her, she's surrounded by people who think she is. Her physical beauty blinds those around her, and convinces them that she has no bad qualities. This leads to an impossible model for others to be able to try and meet due to it being impossible to be completely perfect, leading to an unhealthy obsession with being perfect.
The after affects of the Horns Effect:
While everybody is able to recall that perfect girl from high school, not everybody is able to recall a girl that has been affected by the Horns Effect. This girl would be the one typically sitting alone in the cafeteria with her head buried in a book, or maybe she was the nerdy geek in advanced placement classes. Her parents couldn't afford to buy her pretty designer clothes so she had to wear her older siblings hammy downs. She was the exact opposite of Miss Perfect in terms of looks so it was assumed that there must have been something seriously wrong with her because no one was friends with her.
But that wasn't really the case. Sure she had her faults, just as everyone else did, but that didn't make her any worse than anybody else. The Horns Effect caused those around her to assume that because her physical appeareance was not what is typically considered beautiful, she was not a good person, just as the Halo Effect caused everybody to assume Miss Perfect was at a level unattainable by anybody else. Neither of these Effects truly show what a person is like and should therefore be cautioned against listening to.
No comments:
Post a Comment