What is the Halo Effect? (& 3 Ways it May Be Impacting You)
Have you ever met someone who seems like they can do no wrong?
Maybe you have a co-worker who can make as many mistakes as they want, and your boss will always find a way to get them out of it.
Maybe you have a friend who you can never seem to stay mad at, and even when they do things that hurt you, you find a way to explain their behaviour.
Dealing with the halo effect can be frustrating and confusing - and it can show up in more areas of your life than you think.
Here at KMA Therapy, we’re here to help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of mental health.
From the latest wellness fads to trending buzzwords, we’re here to help you understand the psychology of what you’re seeing and how it can impact your daily life.
After reading this article, you’ll know the halo effect is, the psychology of the halo effect, and three areas of your life it may be impacting.
What is the Halo Effect?
The halo effect is when your perception of a person or thing is skewed in their favour based on your first impression.
If someone gives off a first impression of being attractive, smart, or strong, it can make them seem really appealing and competent.
The halo effect happens when your judgment of this person relies more on this positive first impression than on their future actions.
The halo effect can also apply to:
- Brands
- Products
- Companies
For example, if a makeup company is founded by a celebrity you love, you might be more inclined to think the products are great than if they were from a brand you didn’t know.
What is an Example of the Halo Effect?
Think of a time you had a crush on someone who was attractive, smart, and charming. They make you laugh, they’re kind, and you’re convinced they’re one of the best people you’ve ever met.
You meet up for a coffee date in the park, and you’re excited to talk to them. But they wind up throwing their empty coffee cup in the bushes and leaving trash in the grass.
Normally, you’re super passionate about environmental issues, and you’d call out anyone who couldn’t be bothered to recycle properly.
But you find yourself thinking that maybe they just didn’t think about what they were doing, or they were just being accidentally careless.
This is an example of the halo effect in action - you’re more willing to explain away their bad behaviour in order to maintain your positive image of them.
What is the Psychology of the Halo Effect?
The halo effect is a cognitive bias, which makes it a tendency to think and act in a way that’s different from our usual pattern of thinking.
While you might not think you’re judging this person differently, you automatically want to make excuses for them that maintains the image you have of them in your mind.
It’s easier to find other explanations for their behaviour than re-evaluate your opinion of them.
3 Ways the Halo Effect Can Impact Your Life
The halo effect isn’t always a bad thing, but it can cause bias in the way you interact with others.
Here are three areas of your life that may be influenced by the halo effect - and how you can regain a clear perspective instead.
1. Romance and relationships
Whether or not you believe in love at first sight, our relationships with other people can be heavily influenced by our first impression of them.
It’s easy for the halo effect to sneak into your romantic relationships.
Watch out for moments when you’re:
- Making excuses for your partner’s behaviour
- Defending all of their actions
- Ignoring their flaws
If any of these sound familiar, you might be struggling to objectively view their behaviour.
This doesn’t mean that there aren’t great aspects to your relationship, but it does present an opportunity to adjust how you and your partner interact with each other.
One way to view your partner more objectively is to create a list of firm boundaries that you’re not willing to compromise on. If your partner isn’t able to meet your expectations, look at this objectively - instead of making excuses for their behaviour, see it for what it is.
If you wouldn’t tolerate this behaviour from anyone else, you shouldn’t tolerate it from your partner.
2. School and work
Similarly to romantic relationships, first impressions can mean a lot.
If you have a new co-worker or group member on a class project who seems to be fantastic, and you’re sure that someone so confident and charismatic is going to be great to work with.
But if they start to drop the ball on projects and miss their deadlines, don’t fall into the temptation of making excuses for them.
Have an open conversation about what you all need to do to be successful and come up with a plan to hold each other accountable.
3. Marketing
While we most commonly think of the halo effect in terms of how it relates to other people, it’s important to recognize how it can influence our spending habits.
If you find yourself gravitating toward a product just because an influencer you like says it’s great, make sure you’re objective when you try it for yourself.
If a product you like starts to drop its quality, don’t feel like you need to keep buying it out of brand loyalty.
Next Steps for Learning to Set Strong Boundaries
After reading this article, you know how to recognize the halo effect and how to stop it from clouding your judgement by setting boundaries.
Here at KMA Therapy, we’re here to help if you need help setting strong boundaries. For over 14 years, we’ve helped our clients learn what they need and how to ask for it.
Register online to learn more about how therapy could help you.
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