Expectations and the Halo Effect

1. Expectations and the Halo Effect

2. Expectations • An expectation is a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future • Expectations can often be unrealistic and can lead to disappointment • Different people can have different expectations about the same event, for example at an ice hockey match some supporters might expect Timrå to win the game whereas others would expect MODO to win

3. Where Do Expectations Come From? • Our past experiences • Media • Society • Family

4. Nannie Doss Serial Killer responsible for the deaths of eleven people between the 1920s and 1954 It was revealed that she had killed four husbands, two children, two sisters, her mother, a grandson and a nephew

5. John Ausonius • Swedish convicted murderer, bank robber and attempted serial killer • From August 1991 to January 1992 he shot eleven people in the Stockholm and Upsalla area, killing one person and seriously injuring the others

6. Susan Boyle • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jca_p_3FcWA&feature=related

7. The Halo Effect • The Halo effect is where the perception of one trait influences the perception of other traits in a person or object • For example judging an attractive person as kinder and more intelligent • Or a brand as more appealing due to one popular product

8. The Reverse Halo Effect • This is where individuals, brands etc are judged to be undesirable as a result of a single undesirable trait • For example judging a less attractive person as less intelligent and less talented • E.g. Susan Boyle

9. Nisbett and Wilson (1977) Likeability of Lecturers • They wanted to examine the way students made judgements about a lecturer • Two groups of students watched a video of a lecturer with a strong Belgian accent answer a series of questions in a warm friendly manner vs a cold distant manner. They were then asked to rate the lecturer on his accent, attractiveness and mannerisms • Consistent with the Halo Effect, students who saw the warm incarnation of the lecturer rated him more attractive, his mannerisms more likeable and his accent more appealing

10. Dion et al (1972) What is Beautiful is Good • Participants presented with photographs of individuals which had been separately rated for attractiveness • They were asked to predict whether these individuals would live happy or fulfilling lives by the likelihood that they would experience a variety of life experiences (such as becoming divorced) • Consistent with the halo effect, the more attractive individuals were more frequently judged to have more positive personality traits and more likely to experience positive life events

11. The Task for Today • Produce a representation of the halo effect For Example: • Design an experiment which shows the halo effect • Describe or produce a representation of your own experience of the halo effect • Write a newspaper article • Create a video which shows the halo effect in action • Carry out a role play of the halo effect • How does the halo effect influence wider issues e.g racism, marketing (apple), employment, job interviews or first impressions • A biography of a famous person e.g. Michael Jackson