Mistaking Good Looks for Goodness: Yusuf Dikeç and the Halo Effect

You can’t miss it. Turkish marksman, Yusuf Dikeç, has gone viral. People are praising his cool demeanor and ‘novel’ ‘effortless’ technique. What does this attention tell us about our attraction to powerful men, and how we self-deceive about the roots of our attraction?

Our attractions to others reveal a lot about ourselves. When we are attracted to someone, it is a great opportunity to ask ourselves why. And Dikeç’s performance attracted a lot of admiration. Social media is full of memes glorifying his lack of ear protection or special lenses, and his nonchalant stance. Decked in causal streetwear, and without apparent effort he gained the silver medal. He epitomizes sprezzatura cool.

But let’s look more carefully. What are we actually reacting to? Bracing against the inside of your pocket is a widespread stabilization technique in competitive shooting. Many of his rivals—and his teammate—used the same stance. They also shoot with one hand. They wear similar clothing. Despite the memes, Dikeç is wearing ear protection, some eye protection, and corrective lenses. And, regardless, forgoing PPE (personal protection equipment) does not usually warrant excitement.

His teammate wore exactly the same clothing and, with the same stance, co-won the medal. Indeed, in the individual performances, she scored 7th place, and he was 13th.

So what is going on? Let’s face it, people are excited because he is a good-looking, talented, older dude with a gun. And that is fine: Good-looking, older dudes with guns are exciting. Most James Bond actors debuted in their 40s. Roger Moore retired from the role at 57. And there are plenty more older male action heroes. Harrison Ford, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis, and Denzel Washington are household names.

But we don’t want to admit this reason to ourselves. So we find other ways to praise him: Crediting him with innovation—the stance; or independence—the lack of eyewear, that simply isn’t there. To sustain our self-deception, we have invented praiseworthy attributes.

But let’s look deeper: We admire that he’s a good-looking older dude with talent and a gun. But all his competitors also have talent and a gun. They are Olympic shooters. They wouldn’t be in Paris without talent and a gun. So what does this leave? What sets Dikeç apart, to explain his sudden fame? The good looks, the age, and the gender.

And that is okay: There is nothing wrong with being attracted to good-looking older men.

The problem is the self-deception, and its effects. Rather than face the actual grounds of attraction, we have invented contributions, innovations, and attributes that Dikeç simply doesn’t have.

In real-time, we see the halo illusion take place: Good-looking people are seen as more skillful than their rivals. This affects hiring, promotions, and whose ideas get taken up in meetings. This disparate treatment is unfair. If we are more honest with ourselves about our attractions, we can see the world more accurately. And that can result in more fair treatment for all.

Georgi Gardiner

Georgi Gardinerteaches at the University of Tennessee and is currently a fellow of the American Council for Learned Societies (ACLS). She was previously the Andrew Fraser Junior Research Fellow at St. John's College, Oxford University. Her doctorate is from Rutgers University.