Throughout history, people have sought out various methods to judge someone’s character, from phrenology to job interviews. Phrenology, popular until the 1930s, involved analyzing the bumps on a person’s head to determine their personality traits. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, many embraced this idea as a way to assess creativity, honesty, and empathy.
We often look for proxies to make decisions about others, such as during job interviews. However, the effectiveness of these proxies is questionable. Just because someone does well in an interview doesn’t guarantee they will excel in the job.
False proxies can be costly and lead to social and moral hazards. It’s essential to be aware of the dangers of relying on superficial judgments. Hanging up a poster like the one below can serve as a reminder not to fall into the trap of false proxies.
