Reseach on Reverse Psychology

Definition

Reverse psychology is defined as telling a person something that is opposite of what you want him to do or believe, a persuasion technique involving the false advocacy of a belief or behavior contrary to the belief or behavior which is actually being advocated.

This technique relies on the psychological phenomenon of reactance, in which a person has a negative emotional response in reaction to being persuaded, and thus chooses the option which is being advocated against.

German psychologist Adorno and Horkheimer theorized that people respond in an opposite or reverse direction of what they are told, and this theory has been tested and proved since the idea's debut in the late 1970s.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4443252_use-reverse-psychology.html#ixzz2DG9h5HZc

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=reverse%20psychology

How reverse psychology work

Reverse psychology work best with people who are contrary or resistant. In contrast agreeable people are likely to go along with us so we do not need to use it.

There's people that hate being manipulated and if they sense that people are trying to get them to do something by telling them to do the opposite, a form of a reverse psychology may operate. So will end up doing what people tell them to, just to spite people attempt to control them.

According to the researcher, the more attractive and important the option that's being restricted,  the greater the psychological reactance. Arbitrary threats product high reactance because they don't make sense, which makes people more rebellious.

In real life, reverse psychology is likely to work best when used subtly and sparingly on people who are resistant to direct requests. It is also much easier to use reverse psychology when someone is emotional.

http://www.sott.net/article/247281-How-Reverse-Psychology-Works

How to use reverse psychology on people

Based on the researches done, not every person will respond to reverse psychology, for example those who's lacking of self confidence, might actually take the defeating statements and make from them new limiting beliefs that makes them become even worse.

Reverse psychology should be used with narcissists, stubborn people, Type A personalities and those who have inflated egos.

http://www.2knowmyself.com/How_to_use_reverse_psychology_on_people

 

How people react with reverse psychology

There are a few prove that we have got from the researches done.

Under some circumstances, the answer is yes, as these two experiments demonstrate:

        "...two-year-olds who are told not to play with a particular toy suddenly find that toy more appealing. [...] Students who are told they have their choice of five posters, but then are told one of them is not available suddenly like that one more..." (from the excellent textbook Social Psychology and Human Nature)

Warning labels can have the same perverse effect:

        "...warning labels on violent television programs across five age groups (ranging from 9 to 21 years and over) were more likely to attract persons in these groups to the violent program than information labels and no label." (Chadee, 2011)

The idea is that when they are that they can't have or do something, the following three things happen:

   They want it more.

   They rebel by reasserting their freedom.

    They feel angry at the person restricting their freedom.

http://www.spring.org.uk/2012/06/when-does-reverse-psychology-work.php