Question

Jeff finds Kim physically attractive. Although he has never interacted with her, he assumes that Kim is fun to be around. This idea refers to:

A: The matching effect
B: The social attraction effect
C: The idealism effect
D: The physical effect
E: The halo effect

Answer 1

Jeff's assumption that Kim is fun to be around based solely on her physical attractiveness is an example of the halo effect, a cognitive bias where one positive trait influences the perception of other unrelated traits.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Jeff finds Kim physically attractive and assumes she is fun to be around without having interacted with her, this phenomenon is referred to as the halo effect. This cognitive bias occurs when our overall impression of a person, often based on their physical appeal influences our judgments of their other qualities. Rather than making informed assessments of a person's character, we let an initial positive trait, such as attractiveness, color our perception, potentially leading us to believe that they possess other desirable characteristics like being fun, kind, or intelligent.