Halo Effect

Managerial psychology- Work Force Management                                          

Many people make judgements about others based on their physical appearance and that influence how they respond to those people.

A halo effect is an outcome in one area due to factors derived from another.  When physically attractive individuals are perceived as more intelligent, successful and popular then it is known as halo effect in psychology.

It is caused by a cognitive bias as well as the tendency for an impression created in one area to influence the opinion in another area.

Lookism is discriminatory treatment toward physically unattractive people, mainly in the workplace. But attractiveness does not have any effect on the level of happiness experienced by the individual.

These perceptions of attractiveness may affect judgments tied to personality traits and our judgments can fail us. The very person we underestimated by appearance, could well be our boss or the very person could well be the source of our disappointments.

We should treat every person as an iceberg. An iceberg is a large mass of ice and what we see on the surface is just 10% of its total mass and 90% of its mass is submerged, hidden, buried down in icy ocean. The Titanic disaster was due to underestimating the power of an iceberg.

We are not different. Sometimes, we are quick to pass judgment on the character of a person by seeing his physical appearance. Our obsession with physical appearance is harmful to everyone.

Aiyan Thiruvalluvar says

உருவுகண்டு எள்ளாமை வேண்டும் உருள்பெருந்தேர்க்கு

அச்சாணி அன்னார் உடைத்து. (667)

तिरस्कार करना नहीं, छोटा क़द अवलोक ।
चलते भारी यान में, अक्ष-आणि सम लोग ॥ (६६७)

Explanation by Scholars:

Let none be despised for (their) size, (for) the world has those who resemble the linch-pin of the big rolling car.

உருளும் பெரியதேர்க்கு அச்சில் இருந்து தாங்கும் சிறிய ஆணி போன்றவர்கள் உலகத்தில் உள்ளனர். யாவரையும் வடிவுகண்டு இகழ்தலைத் தவிர்தல் வேண்டும்.