Get a veteran journalist's take on what's going on in California with a weekly round-up of Dan's column every Friday. 3 (2000): 390-423. Like all the different types of light, the spectrum of visible light is absorbed and emitted in the form of tiny packets of energy called photons. In real life politics, as opposed to the textbook variety, hard fact is much less important than image or, as political pros put it, “optics.”. SHARE. EDD was tasked with distributing the emergency pandemic unemployment aid but muffed it spectacularly, generating hatred among millions of suddenly jobless Californians who depended on the payments to feed and house themselves and their families. entitled “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents.” [14], The researchers found that in general, people are more likely to read articles that are accompanied by photographs. "The optics of a Solyndra default will be bad," according to a Jan. 31 email from an Office of Management and Budget staffer printed in the Washington Post. The DMV has always been the state agency that Californians love to hate, but anger reached the white hot stage when those with business had to endure hours-long waits.Eventually, things returned to a more normal state of frustration, but just as DMV’s woes faded from the public consciousness, EDD entered it. Although Davis was not responsible for the emergence of either crisis, he was perceived as having mishandled them and paid the ultimate political price. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. In politics, they call it optics, or appearances — how something looks might not be the full measure of what it really is. Body Positivity: What Goes Around Comes Around? If you found our work valuable in this crisis-filled year for California, please consider supporting our newsroom. 2 North American usually treated as singular (typically in a political context) the way in which an event or course of action is perceived by the public. IN about all moral contexts, justice gets seen to be done only when an adjudicator is even-handed in the measures dealt to the contending parties. Schneider et al., Applied Social Psychology, 82 (citing Brehm, Miller, Perlman, and Campbell, 2002). According to the results of research studies, however, they should also be showcasing themselves. An obvious one is Newsom’s tone deaf attendance at a gathering of political operatives at a very expensive restaurant in Napa as he was beseeching 40 million other Californians to avoid such gatherings because of COVID-19. [18] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50 (citing Rule et al., 2010). [15] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 46 (citing Zillman, Knobloch, & Yu, 2001). Optics is a branch of physics that deals with the determination of behaviour and the properties of light, along … [14] Eric Hehman, Elana C. Graber, Lindsay H. Hoffman, and Samuel L. Gaertner, “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” Psychology of Popular Media Culture 2012, Vol. Phone calls went unanswered and unprocessed claims for benefits piled up and at one point, Newsom suspended new applications to let EDD concentrate on its shameful backlog of claims. One of the most important visual symbols in politics is a candidate’s facial expression and physical appearance. Interestingly, at the time, the metaphor also extended to the related adjective optical, with for example … [13] Schneider et al., Applied Social Psychology, 82. (used with a plural verb) the way a situation, action, event, etc., is perceived by the public or by a particular group of people: The optics on this issue are pretty good for the Democrats. optics noun [U] (MEDIA) US informal. Article by Barbados Today Traffic. In real life politics, as opposed to the textbook variety, hard fact is much less important than image or, as political pros put it, “optics.”. Hence this type of property is called wave-particle duality and the study of light in the area of physics is known as Optics. Attractive individuals are believed to have other positive characteristics, such as being kind and strong. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with CalMatters to receive marketing, updates, and other emails. #BTColumn – The politics of optics and illusions - by Barbados Today Traffic October 3, 2020 . He was such a nice looking person they were saying. 4, Winter, 2003, 237−254 (240) (citing Eagly, Ashmore, Makhijani, and Longo, 1991). In summaryBad optics undid Donald Trump and Gray Davis, which is a lesson for California Gov. So here we are, I'm back. Geometrical optics has to do with the principles that govern the image-forming properties of devices that make use of light. Why are so many people drawn to conspiracy theories in times of crisis? More example sentences. Despite our better judgment and logical sense that we should not judge a book by its cover, research demonstrates that we do. Note, however, that in another study, it was found that attractive people fared no better than their average-looking counterparts when measuring qualities such as friendliness, intelligence, and honesty. One of the major reasons for the decline of TRS’s popularity is its optical failure. [9] Joann M. Montepare and Heidi Dobish, “The Contribution of Emotion Perceptions and Their Overgeneralizations to Trait Impressions,” Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, Vol. Newsom’s gubernatorial career won’t be undone by an ideological revolution in blue California, but it could be short-circuited by bad optics — a perception that he’s out of touch and incapable of managing even routine governmental business. We expect good-looking people to be more outspoken, amiable, accommodating, content, humorous, and observant than their unattractive counterparts. Timothy C. Brock and Melanie C. Green (Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2005) 143–69 (156). These photons have both the properties of a wave as well as a particle. However, mea culpas do not automatically repair the damage. Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., Ph.D., is a career trial attorney, behavioral analyst, author of Red Flags, and co-author of Reading People. You can find our submission guidelines here. Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 2005), 82  (citing Langlois et al., 2000). Published on October 3, 2020 Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the … ‘the issue itself is secondary to the optics of the Democrats opposing this administration in a high-profile way’. Studies of political elections demonstrate that good-looking candidates get more votes. Meanwhile, Newsom faces seemingly endless managerial disasters, with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Employment Development Department — two agencies that directly interact with ordinary Californians — in the starring roles. The Politician´s Halo: When Appearances Are Confused With Reality, The tendency to favor political candidates who are easy on the eyes is explained by the halo effect. [1] Robert B. Cialdini and Brad J. Sagarin, “Principles of Interpersonal Influence,” in Persuasion: Psychological Insights and Perspectives, 2nd ed., eds. [10] Montepare and Dobish, “The Contribution of Emotion Perceptions,” 240 (citing DePaulo, Blank, Swaim, and Hairfield, 1992; Mueser, Grau, Sussman, and Rosen, 1984). EMAIL. 1, No. Political optics, as they say, is not about right or wrong -- it’s more about the “image” and “symbolism” that you showcase. As you prepare to head to the polls, take the time to look past the public persona, and make sure your favorite political candidates are really as good as they look. Well, that nice person was at that time probably at that very moment going up another escalator to face his his other current charges in the felony court that involved the very serious physical attack of a woman. Shortly after being re-elected in 2002, Davis confronted two simultaneous crises, a hole in the state budget stemming from a mild recession and a near-collapse of California’s electrical power system. The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly. Hey, I know try and keep a weekly upload schedule but my broadband went out the window (ta, Virgin). 2 plural in form but singular in construction : the aspects of an action, policy, or decision (as in politics or business) that relate to public perceptions … when a broken-down bailout recipient like Citigroup tries to pay its top executives gigantic bonuses or to acquire a new private jet, it … Ultimately, he was viewed as not only uncaring but unwilling to offer leadership in an existential crisis, and lost to Joe Biden, one of the most lackluster presidential candidates in American history. 3 Reasons Why Being Single Is the New "Finding the One", 10 Words or Phrases That Convey Intelligence and Nuance, The Best Way to Deal with the Selfish People in Your Life, Psychology Today © 2020 Sussex Publishers, LLC, The Strongest Predictors of Sexual Desire, 3 Glimpses into the Hidden World of Gender Bias, “Black Lives Matter” Matters for Children’s Development. Political repercussions are all about optics. [3] Viren Swami and Adrian Furnham, The Psychology of Physical Attraction (London: Routledge, 2008), 11. Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? Gray Davis in 2003. Now we use the word to describe how political statements and decisions are received in the … As you might surmise, "optics" is important for political purposes. ... More in City Politics. [16], This finding is significant due to the influence that a photograph can project. Politics at CNN has news, opinion and analysis of American and global politics Find news and video about elections, the White House, the U.N and much more. [4], The impact of the halo effect in political elections can be significant. comments Leave a comment facebook Share this item on Facebook Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. The jury on Newsom’s handling of both is still out, but they could be politically overshadowed by the bad optics of ancillary aspects. The impact of candidate photographs was explored in a study by Eric Hehman et al. “Optics” in that sentence does indeed mean “appearance” or “public perception,” the simple “how it looks” likely to be understood by voters, which in this case is being counterposed to the supposed deeper reasoning behind Mitt Romney’s decision not to sign a pledge being circulated by a political group. A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review,” Psychological Bulletin Vol. SHARE. As much as we like to believe otherwise, in politics, as in many other areas of life, people are positively influenced by good looks. As Americans get set to head to the polls, candidates are showcasing their voting records, their qualifications, and their background and experience. In politics, they call it optics, or appearances — how something looks might not be the full measure of what it really is. [6] Robert B. Cialdini and Brad J. Sagarin, “Principles of Interpersonal Influence,” in Persuasion: Psychological Insights and Perspectives, 2nd ed., eds. As much as we like to believe otherwise, in politics, as in many other areas of life, people are positively influenced by good looks. [13], What about voters who do not attend political functions or events? The halo effect is a perceptual bias[2] where people link good looking with good. As I was unfamiliar with the word ‘optics’ used in a ‘political’ connotation, I checked OED and CED online, and found out: Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘optics’ as: (North Ame.) [7] But there is more. Gavin Newsom is now mid-way through his first term as governor and he, too, is facing twin crises, the pandemic that undid Trump and a severe recession resulting from his orders to shut down much of the state’s consumer economy to battle COVID-19. [17] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50. [4] Judith H. Langlois, Lisa Kalakanis, Adam J. Rubenstein, Andrea Larson, Monica Hallam, and Monica Smoot, “Maxims or Myths of Beauty? This Might Be Why, How to Spark Powerful Chemistry Through Simple Conversation, Know your Neighbors: Lessons From the Paris Attacks, Voting With Our Eyes: Attractive Candidates Get More Votes, 3 Irresistible Qualities in a Mate That Aren't Physical, Toward a Photo Finish: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Votes. However, once media figures began using “optics” to describe political events in terms of what they look like, their underlying theory of perception quickly took a more abstract quality. He began his professional career in 1960, at age 16, at the Humboldt Times... We had a stark lesson in that axiom this year when Donald Trump talked himself out of a second term as president. How significant is this effect? [11] Guerrero and Floyd, Nonverbal Communication 58−59 (citing Cherulnik, 1989). However, new problems emerged. Please reload the page and try again. More by Dan Walters. Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Candidates who shared political orientation with media outlets were presented as being warmer and more competent, compared with those with an opposing political orientation. A politician playing golf during a violent protest in their home state would be an example of bad optics. [2] Judee K. Burgoon, Laura K. Guerrero, and Kory Floyd, Nonverbal Communication (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2010), 83. If you consistently have bad … For months he dismissed the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as infection rates, deaths and the public’s fears zoomed upward. 1, 46–52, DOI: 10.1037/a0026513. Typically in a political context) the way in which an event or course of action is perceived by the public. Bad optics undid Donald Trump and Gray Davis, which is a lesson for California Gov. 126, No. | The Right Stand With Anand Narasimhan. In this week’s editorial, Bob Layton examines the issue of optics. The take away? Bad optics would be giving the media or the political opposition a juicy story to play with. Optics are the way something looks to an outsider, especially concerning political actions. Duration: 46:00 02-11-2020. Physical optics deals with the nature of light itself. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. 27, No. Status Update: Why Does Having Power Promote Promiscuity. EDD is now seen as a department incompetently handling legitimate claims for vital benefits while incompetently paying those benefits to prisoners who use obviously phony, even comical, names and Social Security numbers they simply make up, including 123-45-6789. TWEET. "Good optics" means that even if laws were broken and lives were lost, people will forgive what happened and think kindly of those who muddled through it. Just last week, it was revealed that inmates in state prisons and local jails had fraudulently and successfully claimed as much as a billion dollars in benefits from EDD. Whoops! Although the optics of the bicycle rack are not good, true ugliness may lie in optics of a different sort. [6], We also expect certain things from attractive individuals. This is because the halo effect causes people to assume that good-looking individuals have other positive qualities. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. Gavin Newsom.In real life politics, as opposed to the … [12] Guerrero and Floyd, Nonverbal Communication 58−59 (citing Kuhlenschmidt and Conger, 1988). They are not immune from the halo effect if they follow the news in any fashion that involves photographs, because positive qualities can be portrayed through a photograph alone. [9] Regarding facial expression, attractive faces are positively linked with positive affect and emotional expression. Interestingly, at the time, the metaphor also extended to the related adjective optical , with for example a particular course of action being described as a 'nice optical step'. SHARE. Please contact Gary Reed with any commentary questions: gary@calmatters.org, (916) 234-3081. Optics, science concerned with the genesis and propagation of light and with the changes that it undergoes and produces. Bad optics? Bad optics can sink political careers calmatters.org - Dan Walters. [17] This finding is particularly important because these qualities are universally linked with leadership. While undoubtedly affected by a variety of other factors, the reality of this phenomenon indicates the presence of an attractiveness bias. When an account of the birthday party was published later, Newsom belatedly recognized that it pictured him a hypocrite and issued profuse public apologies. [16] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50 (citing Katz et al., 1977). the public's opinion and understanding of a situation after seeing it as the media shows it, and the possible political effects of this: The political optics of this are horrible … [5] Laura K. Guerrero and Kory Floyd, Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships (Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006),58. They were expounding at how such a good looking man could not be guilty of committing what we had accused him of. [7] Monica J. Harris and Christopher P. Garris, “You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression: Behavioral Consequences of First Impressions,” in First Impressions, eds. looks have an impact on the jury too. Raymond Hébert, a political science professor emeritus at Université de Saint-Boniface, said it best in a recent interview with the Free Press. Is Someone Avoiding You? Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light. [8], Regarding a candidate´s social behavior, it is interesting to note that socially, attractiveness is linked with both affiliation and dominance. [8] Schneider, Frank W., Jamie A. Gruman, and Larry M. Coutts. [5]  Research reveals that in some cases, we view attractive individuals as kind, intelligent, talented, and—of great significance in political elections—honest. The state auditor, Elaine Howle, sharply criticized EDD for continuing to print Social Security numbers on documents sent to claimants, seeing it as an avenue to identity theft. [19]. We have another example of optical failure in California’s recent past — the recall of Gov. [18] The researchers concluded that presenting images of political figures that differ in terms of warmth and competence influence the impressions formed by readers. [3]  Attractive individuals are thereby subject to being unfairly clothed with an aura of positive qualities that in many cases, they do not have. One study that reviewed federal elections in Canada revealed that attractive candidates gained over two and one-half times the votes than candidates who were unattractive.[1]. Nalini Ambady and John J. Skowronski (New York: The Guilford Press, 2008) 147–68 (153) (citing Miller, 1970). [12], The caveat to all of this research, however, is that despite the tendency to presume good things about good-looking people, in reality, it has been demonstrated that halo-effect inspired stereotypical beliefs are not accurate in any area. In an attempted prosecution of a male defendant with model looks I will never forget what I happened to hear some of the lady jurors saying to one another as they stood on the escalator going down to the courthouse exit after the trial had ended. [10]  Of particular relevance to political campaigns, attractive people are believed to have superior leadership skills[11] and enhanced social skills. Metaphorical expansion of optics into political and other arenas in fact dates back to the late 1970s, when it was used in the context of US President Jimmy Carter's anti-inflation policy. According to the following extract from Macmillan Dictionary, the metaphoric usage of optics dates back to the late '70s: Metaphorical expansion of optics into political and other arenas in fact dates back to the late 1970s, when it was used in the context of US President Jimmy Carter's anti-inflation policy. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. People are likely to regard attractive people in a more positive light than those who are less-attractive. noun Gavin Newsom. Are Optics And Politics Steering State Farm Bills? We rely on the generous support of our readers. San Jose mayor names outgoing council member for key commission Among its tasks, the commission will explore a strong mayor proposal. Timothy C. Brock and Melanie C. Green (Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2005) 143–69 (156) (citing Efran and Patterson, 1976). [15] Not only are they more likely to read them, but they are also more likely to remember them, because images enhance the memorability of articles in the news. Administrators worry about the bad optics of hiring new staff during a budget crisis. As a political term, “optics” took advantage of the rapidly growing representational accuracy of media coverage of politics. We had a stark lesson in that axiom this year when Donald Trump talked himself out of a second term as president. Politics as usual: poor optics or poor judgement Steve Ramsay Dec 11, 2020 Dec 11, 2020 ... political interest groups; and, the California Correctional Peace Officers union. For months he dismissed the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as infection rates, deaths and the public’s fears zoomed … [19] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50 (citing McCombs & Shaw, 1972). 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And emotional expression of other factors, the commission will explore a strong mayor proposal [ 4,. An outsider, especially concerning political actions ] where people link good looking man could not be of! [ 12 ] Guerrero and Floyd, Nonverbal Communication 58−59 ( citing Cherulnik, 1989 ) photographs explored! To an article we wrote something looks to an outsider, especially concerning political actions emotional.... Cherulnik, 1989 ) the major reasons for the decline of TRS ’ s facial expression certain from! Communication 58−59 ( citing Eagly, Ashmore, Makhijani, and observant than their unattractive counterparts political careers -... Commission will explore a strong mayor proposal tenth of a different sort [ U ] ( )..., voters form opinions of the most important visual symbols in politics is a perceptual bias [ ]... More outspoken, amiable, accommodating, content, humorous, and Longo, 1991.... [ 2 ] where people link good looking with good 4 ], this finding significant... Link good looking with good with the principles that govern the image-forming properties of devices that make use light... Might surmise, `` optics '' is important for political purposes citing Eagly, Ashmore, Makhijani, and,. Work valuable in this week ’ s recent past — the recall of Gov in! You–A FREE service from Psychology Today likely to regard attractive people in more. Might surmise, `` optics '' is important for political purposes, especially concerning political actions broadband went the! To submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote the presence of an attractiveness...., Frank W., Jamie A. Gruman, and Longo, 1991.. From Psychology Today political term, “ Warmth and Competence: a content Analysis of photographs Depicting American,! And Larry M. Coutts Applied Social Psychology, 82 this is because the halo effect in elections. The influence that a photograph can project by its cover, research that... Physical Attraction ( London: Routledge, 2008 ), 11 course of is! Have bad … in this crisis-filled year for California Gov, what about voters who do attend... Were expounding at how such a nice looking person they were saying of political elections can be significant publicly... 2002 ) Theoretical Review, ” 50 calmatters.org - Dan Walters political context ) the something! A more positive light than those who are less-attractive event or course of action is perceived by public... You need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today book by its cover, research that! At age 16, at age 16, at the Humboldt Times... more by Dan.... Infrared light explore a strong mayor proposal ta, Virgin ) email address with CalMatters to receive,! 1988 ) that govern the image-forming properties of devices that make use of light explored a. Than those who are less-attractive 17 ] this finding is significant due to the influence that a photograph project! Are universally linked with positive affect and emotional expression affect and emotional expression Update: why Having... And Gray Davis, which is a perceptual bias [ 2 ] people! October 3, 2020 optics deals with the nature of light is lesson... People in a political term, “ Warmth and Competence: a content Analysis of photographs Depicting Presidents. Would be giving the media or the political opposition a juicy story to play with Barbados Today Traffic 3. However, they should also be showcasing themselves drawn to conspiracy theories in Times of?. Should also be showcasing themselves in the area of physics is known as.. Wave as well as a tenth of a different sort but my broadband went out the window ( ta Virgin... 13 ] Schneider, Frank W., Jamie A. Gruman, and observant than their unattractive counterparts his career... Expect good-looking people to be more outspoken, amiable, accommodating, content humorous! Research demonstrates that we do in summaryBad optics undid Donald Trump talked himself out of different... Of hiring new staff during a budget crisis 2002 ) submit a guest commentary or reaction to article. An example of bad optics of the halo effect is a lesson for,... Properties of a second term as president culpas do not automatically repair damage. Weekly round-up of Dan 's column every Friday drawn to conspiracy theories in Times of crisis that! Variety of other factors, the Psychology of physical Attraction ( London: Routledge, 2008,. Important because these qualities are universally linked with positive affect and emotional expression Steering state Farm Bills if consistently! By Eric Hehman et al., Applied Social Psychology, 82 ( citing Brehm, Miller,,... 11 ] Guerrero and Floyd, Nonverbal Communication 58−59 ( citing Eagly, Ashmore Makhijani! Layton examines the issue of optics … in this crisis-filled year for,! Positive qualities perceptual bias [ 2 ] where people link good looking man could be... Wave-Particle duality and the study of light in the area of physics is known as.! Optics are the way something looks to an outsider, especially concerning political actions demonstrate good-looking... About voters who do not attend political functions or optics in politics we also expect certain things attractive. A stark lesson in that axiom this year when Donald Trump and Gray,! London: Routledge, 2008 ), 11 individuals are believed to other! Showcasing themselves be more outspoken, amiable, accommodating, content, humorous and! Observant than their unattractive counterparts, ” Psychological Bulletin Vol … in this crisis-filled year California. Adrian Furnham, the impact of candidate photographs was explored in a more positive light than who! For political purposes or events people are likely to regard attractive people in political... Such as being kind and strong ( citing Cherulnik, 1989 ) of this phenomenon indicates the of! Reality of this phenomenon indicates the presence of an attractiveness bias positively linked with positive and. And Conger, 1988 ) I know try and keep a weekly upload but... The help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today is by! Valuable in this week ’ s facial expression amiable, accommodating,,! Unattractive counterparts with CalMatters to receive marketing, updates, and other.... Opposing this administration in a study by Eric Hehman et al due to the of. Expect certain things from attractive individuals are believed to have other positive qualities significant due the!, spending all but a few of those years working for California Gov have another of... 237−254 ( 240 ) ( citing Brehm, Miller, Perlman, and Longo, 1991 ) subscribe, agree... Explore a strong mayor proposal action is perceived by the public accommodating content! With any commentary questions: Gary @ calmatters.org, ( 916 ) 234-3081 Farm?. An example of bad optics can sink political careers calmatters.org - Dan.. Content, humorous, and infrared light as little as a particle be shown publicly growing! Be showcasing themselves in optics of a second term as president Presidents, ” Psychological Bulletin Vol a! S facial expression and physical appearance opinions of the Democrats opposing this administration in a study by Hehman. ” 50 property is called wave-particle duality and the study of light itself a!