光环效应：一个优点如何影响我们的整体判断
The Halo Effect: How One Good Quality Can Mislead Us
Have you ever thought someone was trustworthy just because they looked attractive, or assumed a person was smart because they spoke confidently? If so, you’ve probably experienced the “halo effect,” a psychological phenomenon where our overall impression of someone is heavily influenced by just one positive trait.
你有没有因为某人外表好看就觉得他很值得信赖，或者因为一个人说话自信就认为他很聪明？如果有，这其实就是所谓“光环效应”的表现。这种心理现象指的是，我们对某人的整体印象会被他身上的一个优点过度影响。
The “halo effect” was first described by psychologist Edward Thorndike in 1920. In his classic study, Thorndike found that when people rated soldiers on positive qualities such as appearance or intelligence, those who scored high in one area tended to receive high ratings in other unrelated areas, too. This means that one good impression can “shine” on the entire personality, sometimes causing us to overlook weaknesses or negative traits.
“光环效应”最早由心理学家桑代克在1920年提出。在他的经典研究中，桑代克发现，当人们评价士兵的外表或智力等优点时，那些某一方面得高分的往往在其他无关的方面也会被认为很优秀。这意味着，一个好印象会“笼罩”人的整体形象，让我们很容易忽视对方的缺点或不足。
The halo effect isn’t just about people—it can also affect how we judge brands, companies, or products. For example, if you already believe a brand is high-quality because of good advertising or one excellent product, you may assume all their products are worth buying, even without real evidence.
光环效应并不限于人际评价，它还会影响我们对品牌、公司或产品的看法。比如，某个品牌因为广告好或有一款产品特别出色，就容易让大家觉得它所有产品都很好，哪怕实际上并无证据支持这种判断。
This bias can have both positive and negative consequences. On one hand, it can help us make quick decisions in a complex world. On the other hand, it may cause us to trust the wrong people, make poor hiring choices, or overlook a person’s real abilities and shortcomings. In schools, teachers might unknowingly give higher marks to students who are polite or well-dressed, simply because of a positive overall impression.
这种偏见既有好处，也有坏处。一方面，它让我们在纷繁复杂的世界里能够迅速作出判断。但另一方面，它也容易让我们相信不该相信的人，或在招聘、选拔时做出错误选择，甚至忽视一个人的真正能力和不足。在学校里，老师很可能会因为某个学生有礼貌或衣着得体，就下意识地给他更高的分数，仅仅因为整体印象变好了。
The best way to overcome the halo effect is to be aware of its existence. When making important decisions, try to focus on objective evidence and multiple aspects, rather than letting a single quality “blind” your judgment. By doing so, we can see people and things more clearly, and make choices that are fairer and more accurate.
克服光环效应，最重要的是意识到它的存在。在做出重要决定时，要学会关注客观证据和多方面的信息，而不是让一个优点蒙蔽了自己的判断。只有这样，我们才能更清晰地看待人和事，做出更加公正、准确的决定。
【短语积累 Vocabulary Bank】
- halo effect —— 光环效应
- overall impression —— 整体印象
- a psychological phenomenon —— 心理现象
- be influenced by —— 受到……的影响
- overlook weaknesses —— 忽视缺点
- make quick decisions —— 迅速作出决定
- objective evidence —— 客观证据
- focus on multiple aspects —— 注重多方面
- “blind” one’s judgment —— 蒙蔽判断
- see things more clearly —— 更清晰地看待事物
- make choices that are fairer and more accurate —— 做出更加公正、准确的选择
📌文章CEFR 等级： B2–C1 级
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