Reverse psychology: how does it work?
Reverse Psychology was developed by Michael Apter. The man spent a long time studying various areas of motivation. The basis of reverse psychology is the concept that talks about the ability of people to switch from one state to another after simple verbal phrases. To change people’s opinions, you need to choose the right moment and correctly compose a phrase.
Reverse psychology implies that the manipulating individual says one thing, but expects to receive the opposite reaction. A similar reverse effect is noticeable in children's behavior. When parents tell a child not to do something, his reaction may be the opposite. He will want to do the forbidden.
When actions are performed correctly, people who are subject to psychological pressure think that the choice was made by them. The individual is deluded. The first times of using the practice of reverse manipulation require choosing proud people who have increased self-esteem. The reverse technique cannot be considered the most effective among other types of persuasion.
To protect yourself from the influence of manipulative people, you need to control your emotions, think through your actions in advance, and choose the best options for resolving conflict situations. It is important to take into account the consequences, observe the interlocutor’s reaction when making statements and questions.
Psychology of attractiveness
The psychology of attractiveness is the reasons that make something (or someone) more attractive.
It is clear that what is more attractive is, first of all, what protects us from the dangerous and unpleasant.
Any room closed from the wind and cold is more attractive than what is outside: freezing frost and piercing wind.
Everything that suits the needs of the body is attractive.
When the body is thirsty, water is attractive. When you want the opposite, the toilet is attractive. At a young age, sports are attractive and you want to run, even when you need to prepare for exams. At an older age, a sofa is already attractive.
I like the known, the understandable, the familiar.
In the choice between the known and the unknown, the understandable and the incomprehensible, the familiar and not - most people often, unnoticed by themselves, choose what is closer, clearer and more familiar to them. In social psychology, this is sometimes called the effect of “simply falling into the field of view”: what comes into our field of vision more often becomes internally closer and more attractive to us. We like people we already know more than people we don't know. We even love ourselves more when we are the way we are used to seeing ourselves.
People usually prefer and like things that are similar to themselves.
Mutual sympathy is favored by the similarity of attitudes, beliefs, moral values, and even the similarity of voice intonations. People choose friends with voices similar to their own, American scientists found out, whose article was published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. They came to this conclusion in the course of a study in which several dozen women and men, as well as their friends, participated.
Scientists have been able to establish that certain acoustic signals characteristic of a person’s voice are a kind of “signal” for finding friends.
Thus, a person is more likely to make friends with people who have at least some of the same “signals.” The kinship of souls leads to mutual sympathy; opposites rarely meet.
Among those that have been tested for safety, I rather like something that is bright, stands out, and attracts attention.
The red color is visible from afar and attracts attention, so red ribbons are holiday ribbons, and a red maiden means a beautiful, attractive girl. On the other hand, against the backdrop of flashy colors and shades, well-mannered people are attracted to something calmer and more restrained.
Factors of Interpersonal Attraction
Interpersonal attractiveness does not deny the general psychology of attractiveness at any point, but adds many new interesting points to it. This includes territorial proximity, similarities, the fact “we are equal” and much more. Cm.
Who does reverse psychology work for?
To effectively use the reverse psychology technique, you need to know who is more susceptible to psychological pressure. Types of people susceptible to manipulation:
- Rebels, hooligans. This type of people can be manipulated. Training lessons, instructions, advice are useless. A bully does the opposite to spite others. Behavior manifests itself in the actions of teenage children who are commanded by their parents. The child fundamentally does things against the will of the adult. But if a friend asks, the reaction will be positive.
- People who do things for the sake of fame, posturing. The individual will try to do everything contrary to the imposed, generally accepted principles. So he tries to stand out from the crowd. People of this type strive to achieve significant results in various areas of life and amuse their pride.
- People who do principled things. The type of individuals who go against existing principles, forgetting about the consequences.
Reverse psychology works great when applied to people who have a high ego bar. Those who have weak self-esteem are susceptible to the reverse effects of manipulation.
You need to understand that not everyone will do the opposite of what they are advised or told. Reverse psychology is useless for those who do not have their own point of view, they are used to following the advice of others. The practice of opposing actions will not have an effect on those who accept someone else's point of view and then present it as their own.
Who is amenable to reverse psychology methods?
Jealousy in relationships - the psychology of this feeling towards each other
Manipulation, provocation, as well as harmless unconscious commands are methods of reverse psychology. There are people who are more inclined to react to this technique, others are no longer resistant.
Note! Reverse psychology will not work on those who follow their own habits, as well as the advice of others, i.e. an attempt to force a person to do the opposite action will be taken literally, and he will follow the instructions as intended.
On the other hand, rebels, teenagers at the peak of hormonal changes, as well as people guided by emotions will fall for the “more willing” trick.
Reverse psychology and children
Often parents begin to use reverse technology techniques; if children refuse to do something, it is difficult to convince them with ordinary persuasion. A child may do the opposite to annoy adults. They are dissatisfied with decrees directed at them and complain when they are commanded.
To manipulate a child in such situations, it is necessary to use reverse psychology. It will help change the child's opinion. If parents choose the right moment or phrase, the children will become confused after what happened. They took actions according to the will of an adult, but think only about their own decision.
It is important to understand some features of child manipulation:
- The reverse technique should not be used too often. The child will get used to this and will effectively resist commands. You need to choose the right moments and situations. When you can solve a situation with persuasion or affection, it is better not to resort to manipulation. If this is not possible, the opposite effect can be applied.
- Psychologists categorically prohibit the use of reverse manipulation techniques that cling to the child’s personality. If you tell a child about the desire to hide certain things from him, citing the inability to use them.
With teenagers, experts suggest choosing a different tactic. He was offered to attend a dubious event; you can tell the teenager that you are categorically against this idea because you are worried. The child will decide whether to go or not independently.
It is worth considering the side effects of using reverse psychology. Many psychologists prohibit the use of this technique when raising children. This is due to the fact that if you start praising a child after he does something against the will of the parent, he will learn not to obey adults. As the child grows up, he will understand that his parents are not telling the truth.
Choosing to use reverse psychology
This is what reverse psychology is all about: we often use it on children to get them to do what we want them to do. Before you try reverse psychology tactics on adult men and women, ask yourself how it works?
If it is for the good of the person himself, which is almost never the case, then good; but, if you are doing it to promote your own benefit, then the person may naturally react!
Maybe being reasonable and willing to listen to someone is all it takes to get someone to agree with you?
And it might be worth considering that if they disagree, there may be a good reason for it. Think about how to get them to do something they don't really want to do. Of course, this is not your intention, but we often act out of self-interest and don't think about how decisions will affect us or others in the future.
Reverse psychology between a man and a woman
Most couples use the practice of reverse psychology. The technique is used by a man or woman when they have a desire to get what they want. A woman wants to spend the weekend with her fiancé, but he is focused on spending it with friends. She is convinced that the direct form is useless and is going to act radically. She tells him that she is going to a club with her friends. In most cases, the groom will stay at home, refusing to let her go alone.
You can use the reverse manipulation technique if you want to marry your loved one. You can’t admit your plans, try to show the guy, it’s better to show that the girl is happy alone. Then the man will strive to keep the girl busy in order to avoid the appearance of competitors. When choosing a tactic, you need to know your loved one well. If there is a lack of information, a mistake made can destroy a relationship.
Reverse psychology in sales
The reverse manipulation technique is considered one of the main tools of marketers. You need to understand that a buyer entering a store is neutral or negative towards the seller. He will do his best to counteract any shortcomings. To effectively use reverse psychology in the sales field, you can use several basic techniques:
- When working with male buyers, female sellers often use the following method. If a man says that the product is too expensive, the woman replies that since he cannot afford an expensive purchase, she will look for a cheaper product. This technique works even better when the room is filled with women.
- Seizing the moment - people love the forbidden. The seller “accidentally” shows the buyer a product that is not on sale and says that it is not available to buyers for a certain period of time for some reason. To increase the chances of a successful transaction, you need to think through a plan of action so that the buyer believes.
- Take a vote. The buyer must independently rate the product. It is better to choose a system from 1 to 10. Most will give a rating of 5–7. The average rating indicates the neutrality of the buyer you want to attract. Tell the buyer - you expected a lower rating, the buyer will begin to list the points for which he gave an average rating.
There are other techniques using reverse psychology. Experienced salespeople know how to use them and successfully sell their products to different types of buyers.
