Halo Trap

"e;The Halo Trap - Assuming that beautiful people must be good"e; investigates one of the most pervasive cognitive biases: the Halo Effect. Coined by psychologist Edward Thorndike, it describes our tendency to let one positive trait (like attractiveness) influence our opinion of a person's other traits (intelligence, kindness, honesty). Psychologist Sarah Judge explains how this bias corrupts justice and business. Attractive defendants get lighter prison sentences, and tall CEOs earn more money, despite no correlation to performance. The book provides a toolkit for "e;de-biasing"e; decisions, such as blind auditions and structured interviews, to see past the superficial glow. "e;The Halo Trap"e; is a guide to critical thinking in a visual world. It challenges readers to separate presentation from substance and to question their own "e;gut feelings"e; about people, which are often just biological reactions to symmetry and charisma.