98 - Culture The Halo/Hor n Effec t
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PR Culture
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The Halo Effect is the idea that our overall impression of a person can be based on one trait about them. However, For example, if someone has a likeable personality, people might find that person’s other qualities more appealing. People may listen to them more intently, assume they are correct in what they say, allow them the benefit of the doubt, etc. In a recent experiment, a man made two videos for a dating website. In the first video, he read the script in an upbeat manner, whereas in the second, he read the same script in a more melancholy fashion. The first video was given to a one group of girls and the second was given to another group, who watched the video in a separate room. The girls who watched the upbeat video found the man to be likeable, while the girls who watched the second video found the man to be unpleasant, even though he had read the exact same script. This can have devastating results. For those who do not know, the picture on the left is of Jimmy Saville, who was a popular and prolific entertainer on radio and TV, in the UK, in the 60s and 70s. He also did a massive amount of fund raising, sponsorship and voluntary work. Because of his halo, people did not speak out when they had problems or worries or issues regarding him. Shortly after he died in 2011, it was discovered (or rather what was already known, was allowed to be spoken about because the halo did not protect him anymore) that he was in fact a prolific child sexual abuser. By the end of 2012, 14 police forces across the UK, were pursuing 400 lines of inquiry based on testimony from 200 witnesses. In March 2013 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary reported that 214 of the complaints that had been made against Savile after his death would have been criminal offences if they had been reported at the time. However, the corollary is also true, and is known as the Horn effect. If we have a negative view of someone, we are less likely to listen to them or entertain their views. We may dismiss anything they have to say as being negative and not worthy of even the time to listen to them. This can have devastating results.