Forming an overall ''positive'' impression of someone because of one good characteristic.  That positive judgement carries over into areas where that person might or might not have any competence.  This effect is often cited as a major reason why interviews are so unreliable for evaluating potential employees.

----

The HaloEffect is the flip side of what is discussed at SetTheBozoBit.

----

Lots of WikiName''''''s have effects on community response far beyond the value of the edit with which they are associated. Apart from the tired old WikiCelebrities, there are various WikiBadge''''''s, language and toolset namedrops, and other names that are like tar babies for existing content.

''In the GameOfGo this is called ''thickness''.''

----

It's also a term used in psychology to describe the effect "beautiful" people have on others -- that they tend to be assumed to have better characters and better skills. I don't like it, but I've noticed a definite correspondence between my being able to get hired and how blonde I am at the time... and because I'm machevellian, I use that.

-- KatieLucas

''Dahlin', you can get Machevellian with me any time!'' -- PhlIp ^-^ <-- devil horns

This sort of thing goes on far too much. As OgdenNash put it: ''It's always tempting to impute/Unlikely virtues to the cute.'' 

How many (male) managers have you met who are tall, silvery-haired and have deep voices (and no other evident qualifications for the job)?

--KeithBraithwaite

''Somewhere in the last 5 years, I recall a study that showed a correlation between height and earnings''

I so wish that I could confirm that. -- AndersBengtsson (1.98m / 6'6")

*I believe this was a statistical study published in the Harvard Business Review.  My memory suggests that the 'normaized' delta was $1,500 / inch of height above the mean, in early 1980s(?) $.  (Bear in mind that a statistician is someone who, on average, is comfortable with his head in a furnace and his feet encased in ice.)

:) Maybe it's the shorter ones with more pay, or maybe there's a cutoff, probably more of a bell curve. lol.

''Is this like the correlation between scores on SATs and shoe size?''

----

The difference between presentation (appearance) and contents (essence) is eternal. Few have the ability to feel beyond the labels.

----

This is a powerfull concept and it's also a fact. So, why not put it into the good cause of convincing people you are right? Here's my tip: always dress your best and keep your hair trimmed and you'll deliver good software on time. Hum... maybe I'll write a book on that.