It was Marisol's first day at work. At first she was very nervous, but when she was introduced to her cubicle neighbor, Hanna, s
he was reassured by Hanna's soothing smile. Marisol thought that a person with such a beautiful smile could not be bad, and that she would enjoy having her in such close proximity. Which of the following concepts best describes this example? A) contrast effect
B) fundamental attribution error
C) halo effect
D) selective perception
E) self-serving bias
The halo effect refers to the tendency to judge a person based on a <u>positive</u> first impression. In the example, Marisol decided to trust her co-worker, influenced by her personal appearance.
A related and constrasting phenomenon is the <u>horn effect</u>, in which a person is <u>negatively influenced by an initial bad impression</u>. This bias can lead to prejudice and even discrimination.
