Prejudice and Halo Effect
“Prejudice” is a word that’s roots go back to Latin, consisting of pre (before) and judice (to judge). According to Cambridge Dictionary, it means an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge. Prejudice is when our brain reaches a conclusion or statement without any related information. It is a prevalent mistake that our brains make, and in this post, I will be talking about one of the most common prejudices our brains make, the halo effect.
The Halo Effect
Edward Thorndike has introduced the Halo effect. The name comes from the medieval age paintings, where saints were drawn with halos, making people think that people painted with halos are good. This effect is a brain bias that gives positive traits to a good impression. For example, when people see a handsome/beautiful, attractive human, they tend to think they are also intelligent, generous, etc. Our brains are keen on giving favorable treats on beautiful appearances.
For example, this woman. She is beautiful, and our brains think she is an innocent person at first sight. Guess what? She is a criminal. Yes, it is not hard to believe that an attractive human can be evil or dumb. It is a pretty standard thing. However, the halo effect makes us think they are an intelligent, friendly person for once.
Halo Effect In Marketing
In marketing, the Halo effect is effectively used. As we can see, most people are directed toward famous brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Apple, etc. Why would people be superly interested in these favorite brands’ new releases? Why would when Tom Ford produces a new type of perfume, Apple produces iPod, people would be interested when there are better products than those? Answer: Halo Effect. It is shown that when we favor some products of a brand, we will be more likely to select other releases of it. For example, most people like some perfumes of Chanel. They are pretty famous for it. So, when Chanel releases a new product, people will be more likely to favor and buy it.
Another example could be celebrities’ endorsement of these products. Let’s give an example from Coke. Taylor Swift, an idol of millions, took part in a Coke advertisement. Guess what? Coke got ahead of Pepsi. The halo effect has worked again; fans selected the brand they feel close to.
Conclusion
The halo effect is not always used for positive prejudice. It can work its magic negatively. For example, when we dislike one feature of something, we are most likely to have a negative bias toward the whole. Our brains do it, and yes, it is hard to stop the effect. But it is essential to be able to think in a moment and get away from the halo effect. Because prejudice is never beneficial, whether positive or negative, it can get people tricked or hurt others.
You can take a look at our other posts in Psychology!
Bibliography
Taylor Swift Wiki, Fandom, https://taylorswift.fandom.com/wiki/Diet_Coke
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