What Is The Halo Effect?

From childhood, I've always wondered whether I'd ever get married or not. I spent years (and I continue to) questioning my physical attributes and whether anyone will ever find them attractive. I turned to the internet when I was curious about what attraction was and how exactly it worked only to be disappointed with cheesy quotes. And when I asked my friends about it, it seemed to lead me to a dead end every time because they would all deny that they were beautiful and apart from that, they didn't have the answers either. They would always say, "You'll find someone. It just takes time." I didn't and I don't particularly like that answer, but I can appreciate the hope they have in me. This semester, I took a social psychology class and was fascinated with the topic of love and attraction -- especially the halo effect. I think it's a concept that holds importance and is very interesting to keep in mind the next time you find someone you find attractive, so here's a crash course on it.

Let's begin with physical attraction. Physical attractiveness is a component that differs across people because everyone has traits they find more attractive than others. However, there are some unisex traits that people typically find attractive such as facial symmetry, long eyelashes, white whites (shiny eyes), and nice teeth -- all signs of good health. Apart from the typical traits, it is obvious that there are traits that some people find to be more attractive than others.

In the topic of physical attraction, there is something known as the halo effect. The halo effect is when we assume attractive people have other positive traits. This means that you are likely to attribute positive traits such as kindness and honesty with someone you find physically attractive despite not knowing whether they actually have these traits or not. This effect also works with those you find unattractive, meaning you are likely to attribute more negative traits to those you do not find physically attractive. (Side note: this is an application of stereotypes!)

Don't be discouraged if you're not confident in your physical attributes, though. Looks really aren't everything. Personality can also affect our opinions on physical attractiveness. The perception of a good personality alters the perception of physical attractiveness, meaning that if someone doesn't initially find you physically attractive but then realizes you have an outstanding personality, they will find you more physically attractive. So don't be disheartened -- the halo effect will also apply if you have a good personality.

Fun fact: if you're wondering whether men or women care more about looks, you should know that it's just about equal, but men are more likely to outwardly say it whereas women are more likely to think it and say, "Oh, he was funny and smart. That's why I like him." But the halo effect likely applies!