This is why women forgive the mistakes of handsome men faster

We all still remember the photos of Rihanna covered in bruises after the assault by Chris Brown; and that was just one of the accusations against the rapper. Yet he still manages to sell out stadiums and is worshipped by thousands of fans worldwide; for his music, but certainly also for his appearance. How is it that people seem to forget what he has done? According to psychologists, this may be due to the halo effect.

What is the halo effect?

The halo effect comes from psychology and means that one character trait of someone can determine how you judge everything around that person; even if the other traits have nothing to do with each other. It shows why a first impression can be so decisive. If someone's handsome appearance stands out during a meeting, it can lead you to find that person's personality and behavior more positive afterwards. Even if that person then makes a mistake, no matter how big, you may take it less seriously.

Is there also a negative halo effect?

Where a positive first impression can have a lasting effect, the opposite works the same way. There is also a negative halo effect, also known as the horn effect. If you get to know someone and that person is not your type, it can also determine how you will judge other traits of that person later. According to research from Eastern Kentucky University, someone in that case is often punished more severely than someone who is considered attractive. “The unattractive man is tolerated to a certain extent; unattractiveness is okay until he misbehaves,” says researcher Jeremy Gibson.

This is how the halo effect influences your love life

The halo effect can have various effects, for example on your love life. The first meeting during a date can immediately determine how likely it is that there will be a follow-up. But that is not always a good thing. If someone’s appearance is exactly what you had hoped for, it can lead you to ignore red flags more quickly afterwards. Because of that positive idea forming in your head, you may not realize that someone is being very pushy. This can also happen on dating apps. If you are charmed by someone’s photos, you may not read the text on the profile as attentively and thus not notice if there are descriptions that do not appeal to you at all. If the photos are less appealing, then that text suddenly weighs much heavier.

What the halo effect does in the workplace

The halo effect can also be decisive for opportunities in the workplace. Someone who walks in with a neatly groomed outfit and a flawless CV not only has a greater chance of getting the job, but will also benefit from it later in their career. A cover letter without spelling mistakes creates the impression that you work accurately and that your intelligence is also good. Other employees will then be quicker to approach you with a question, even if you have just started. If you have such a positive image of a colleague, you are also more likely to trust someone, ignore mistakes or unrealistic ideas more quickly, and give their opinion more weight than might be good. job application, ,.

This is how you protect yourself against the halo effect

The halo effect can influence your judgment of people in a wrong way and thus cause you to ignore major mistakes and red flags. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to deal with this and to ensure that you can better assess people.

1. Be aware
Step one is actually nothing more than being aware that the halo effect exists and that it can determine how you judge people. After a first meeting, it is good to pause and reflect on what your impression of someone is and whether there are any biases arising from it. Also be aware that someone’s appearance, for example, says nothing about how someone interacts with others or how smart someone is.

2. Take your time
Try not to form your judgment about someone and their behavior immediately. In the case of a date, you can also take the time to determine what you really think of someone and whether there is a second date in it or whether you should date longer before taking that next step. Taking some time and distance allows you to calmly sort everything out and not make big decisions based on one situation or a first impression.

3. Work in steps
To counter the halo effect, it can help to first go through a number of steps in your mind before making choices. If you are the one conducting an interview, then determine a list of criteria for your candidates. This ensures that you think carefully and check off some points before making a decision. Also regarding dating, you can have a list of requirements. This way you can better assess whether someone fits you and you won’t overlook red flags. Again, it’s about thinking longer about your judgment and not relying on one impression.

You may not always be aware that you think according to the halo effect, and that’s okay. But that’s exactly why it’s good not to judge too quickly and to be aware of why you think about someone in a certain way. We all form a first impression, but that should also be able to be adjusted later; both positively and negatively. That is not only better and fairer for the other person, but certainly for yourself.

Source: Psychology Today, Business Standard