Make Your Point > Archived Issues > HALO EFFECT

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"HALO EFFECT" Pronunciation: Like you'd expect, "HAY low if ECT." Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like “bottle,” “piece,” and “decision,” are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about “a bottle,” “three pieces,” and “many decisions.” Likewise, talk about one halo effect, a halo effect, or the halo effect.) Meaning: A halo effect is when you notice that something or someone has one good thing, so you assume that the entire person or thing is also really good. In other words, you've fallen victim to the halo effect when you overgeneralize just how good something or someone is based on limited evidence. It's as if you're seeing a halo around that thing or person--an invisible symbol of perfection--but in reality that person or thing is probably NOT perfect. Other forms: halo effects (which seems rare) How to use it: You might notice, succumb to, or try to counteract a halo effect surrounding a seemingly perfect student, a seemingly healthy type of food, a seemingly excellent product line, a seemingly aboveboard set of business practices, and so on. Also, you can talk about something having a halo effect on people, or talk about a person or group trying to create a halo effect or hoping for a halo effect, or about how a halo effect is influencing your thoughts or behavior, and so on. Teachers can at least partially escape the influence of the halo effect on their grading process by covering up the students' names while evaluating their work. That way, Straight-A Sally gets scored on the quality of what she produced this time, not on her teacher's memories of all her excellent previous work. I've often been taken in by the halo effect when buying beauty products. ("Oh, it smells so good! It must work well." "Hey, this bottle is beautiful! The stuff inside must be really good.") Now I read online reviews before buying anything. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "halo effect" means when you can explain it without saying “positive observation bias" or "overgeneralizing how good something is." Think of something popular that might not be as amazing as people think it is, and fill in the blanks: "Thanks to its halo effect, _____ suddenly (means/seems) _____." Example: "Thanks to its halo effect, 'gluten-free' suddenly means '100% good for you.'" Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: Our game for July is called A Verbal Tour of the US. I’ll ask you a trivia question each day this month about the names of US cities, states, geographic features, etc. Try it out each day, and see the right answer the next day. Happy verbal trails to you! From yesterday:  If you were creating your own city or town and trying to think of a pleasant-sounding, simple name for it, you might be influenced by the fact that you’re near a river (and come up with Name 1), or that you’re kind of in the middle of the surrounding area (Name 2), or that your new place has a nice, pretty view (Name 3.) You wouldn’t be alone! These are the top 3 most common names for cities and towns in the US. What are they?  Answer: There are 46 states with a Riverside, 45 states with a Centerville, and 43 states with a Fairview. Try this one today: This state’s name literally means “green mountain,” but according to at least one source, it was named with the two word roots in the wrong order. What state is it? A Point Well Made: Alain de Botton: “Children don’t suffer from habit, which is why they get excited by some very key but simple things – like puddles, jumping on the bed, sand, and fresh bread.” 1. A close opposite of HALO EFFECT is A. PREJUDICE B. CLARITY C. HOPE 2. Any halo effect the company was enjoying from _____ was shattered by _____. A. its flagship product .. the universally hated follow-up product B. its stellar customer service .. a detailed report on the firm's extensive charitable giving C. the high-priced, low-quality toys it was producing .. a lawsuit involving a child choking on a toy Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A