The consequences of these stereotypes, besides the obvious, is that stories about individuals are often judged as true simply because they fit preconceptions about the class. For example, it is easy for people to believe that a crime was caused by a black man. Another interesting phenomenon is the halo effect . This is where one characteristic of something or someone affects perception of all the other characteristics. For example, if medical doctors are often asked their opinion about financial matters.
Consumers often buy a product because it is by a company that makes other products they like.
A curious characteristic of human thinking processes is projection . This is where you perceive others in ways that really reflect yourself. For example, dishonest people tend to see dishonesty in others. Attribution Attribution refers to how people in situations like the workplace construct explanations of other people's behavior. What is interesting and helpful is that people's biases tend to be systematic and predictable.