The halo effect is a term from social psychology, named by American psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike. It describes the distorted perception of a person based on a single impression or specific traits. You assume another trait based on one known characteristic, without knowing if it truly applies. This effect gives the person an instant "halo."

In contrast, there's also a negative distortion based on known traits, called the "horn effect."

This cognitive perception is heavily influenced by personal values and norms.

Halo Effect

Jenna runs into an old classmate named Frieda on the street. They haven't spoken in 10 years. When asked what Jenna does, she replies, "I'm mostly a housewife and mother." Her former classmate immediately assumes Jenna is a great cook, since she's home all day and must cook proper meals for her child. However, Jenna isn't good at cooking. She's not home all day either, as she has a part-time job. Her mother watches Jenna's child during the week and cooks for them both.

Her former classmate assumed that being a housewife and mother means Jenna must be a good cook, based on her own experiences and values.

Unfortunately, people often form opinions about others using attributes that aren't suitable. This is known as the halo effect.

Horn Effect

Frieda loved the punk style in school and kept it for 10 years. Jenna's first thought upon seeing her old classmate is that Frieda hasn't got her life together and lives day by day. She's surprised to learn Frieda completed a computer science degree and now runs a small software company.

In this case, Frieda's clothing led to assumptions about other traits, with no logical connection.

The Halo Effect in Seminars

In seminars, this mental shortcut is destructive for trainers. A trainer's behavior towards participants should be neutral and not influenced by personal views.

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