The Halo Effect: Avoid judgement errors in open-ended questions Do you know that feeling when you are assessing a candidate and find yourself being positively influenced by your overall impression of that person? This phenomenon is known as the halo effect. In this article, we discuss what the halo effect is, why it is important to recognise it, and how you can avoid it when assessing open-ended questions. What is the halo effect? The halo effect is a cognitive bias whereby your overall impression of someone influences your assessment of specific characteristics, skills or performance. In the case of test assessment, this means that a positive impression of an exam candidate can lead to a higher score than is objectively justified. This can happen without you being aware of it, so it is essential to train yourself to recognise and prevent the halo effect. Did you know that Horn effect is the counterpart to the Halo effect? Recognise the halo effect A fair and objective assessment is extremely important for ensuring the reliability and validity of tests. The halo effect can undermine this objectivity and lead to unfair opportunities for exam candidates. It is therefore important to be aware of this effect and to take measures to minimise it. Read more about the objectively assess open questions. Avoiding the halo effect when assessing open-ended questions Fair and objective assessment is extremely important in (digital) testing. Therefore, use the following tips to take the halo effect into account: Tip 1: Be aware of your own biases The first thing you can do to avoid the halo effect is to be aware of your own biases and assumptions. Ask yourself: is my overall impression of this candidate influencing my assessment of their answers? If so, take a step back and try to look at the answers objectively. Tip 2: Use clear assessment criteria An effective way to counteract the halo effect is to use clear and objective assessment criteria. This helps you to focus on the candidate's actual performance, rather than being guided by your overall impression. Tip 3: Distribute the assessment among several assessors Involving multiple assessors can help to reduce the influence of the halo effect. By incorporating different perspectives into the assessment process, there is less chance that one assessor will impose his or her subjective impressions on the final assessment. Tip 4: Utilise digital assessment software Digital test software can help reduce the halo effect. It can help you work consistently and systematically, and often provides opportunities to clearly define assessment criteria and scoring guidelines. This helps to minimise subjectivity and bias. Finally The halo effect is a common phenomenon that can undermine the objectivity of test assessments. By being aware of this effect and applying the strategies above, you can ensure fairer and more objective assessments. Remember that recognising and addressing the halo effect not only contributes to the reliability and validity of assessments, but also to a fair opportunity for all candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and skills! Read more about digital testing in our knowledge base.
