Recently, the concepts of "reverse psychology" and "psychology from the opposite" are increasingly encountered in the literature. What processes is this new trend in science engaged in studying? And what is the benefit to humanity from it?
What it is?
"Psychology from the opposite", or "reverse psychology", is a term that explains the likelihood of the occurrence of a directly opposite reaction of an individual to propaganda, education, or inclinations to a certain action.
In simple terms, "reverse psychology" explains the duality of human nature.
For many years, psychologists have puzzled over why this or that phenomenon causes different psychological reactions in different people. These are the paradoxes that experts in reverse psychology consider.
In general, reverse psychology is applied in a wide variety of fields, from politics to marketing. A number of her discoveries are used by the media. For example, employees of advertising agencies, taking into account the methods of reverse psychology, predict what the expected reaction of the audience to advertising will be, whether negative emotions, protest and rejection of the consumer are possible.
How it all began
For example, if a person is immersed in thinking about his problems, he is unlikely to be able to simultaneously empathize with another individual who is persistently asking for help. This will only cause anger and irritation.
Most accurately, the "concept of the opposite" was explained in his writings by the English psychologist Michael Apter. In his opinion, everything is based on the theory of motivation. At one and the same moment, a person cannot feel within himself the desire to perform two opposite actions.
For example, if a person is immersed in thinking about his problems, he is unlikely to be able to simultaneously empathize with another individual who persistently asks for help. This will only cause anger and irritation.
On the other hand, in accordance with the basics of reverse psychology, it is said that the human psyche can quickly switch from one state to another. And vice versa. Therefore, in order to get the desired reaction, it is necessary to choose a certain moment or perform a series of actions so that a person independently goes into the required state.
So far, as practice shows, some theories of reverse psychology work quite successfully in practice. Especially often they are used by politicians and journalists.
Moreover, Aptera's theory is integral. In other words, it does not contradict, and in a number of situations corresponds to other areas of psychological theory:
- depth psychology, which studies the unaccountable in the structure of the human psyche;
- gestalt, the theory of unfinished actions;
- psychoanalysis, therapy based on revealing hidden circumstances, often unconscious;
- behaviorism, a doctrine that explains behavior by a chain of "stimulus-response".
Thus, this theory has a right to exist.
