What exactly is reverse psychology?

Question

What is it and what are some examples of it?

Answer 1

Reverse psychology is trying to get someone to behave in a particular way by urging them to do the opposite. The classic example is in the Uncle Remus story where the rabbit begs the fox to not throw him in the briar patch. The fox does and, of course, the rabbit escapes. Parents sometime try this strategy on their kids. Trying to get a child to eat their carrots a parent might say, "Jimmy you better not eat all those carrots - I want you to save some for your brother." Jimmy then gobbles up the carrots. This strategy depends on the person your using it on being oppositional. I'm not sure how well it works in real life, but you see it all the time in movies and tv shows.

Answer 2

The essence of reverse psychology (for children OR adults) is communicating a message that is in direct contrast to the message expected by the receiver, thereby confusing the receiver into a behavioral change.

Answer 3

think of influencing someone using backwards means.
for example, my dad always told this story (in a kidding way):
he did poorly, but convinced his parents he did well; when they asked what he got in math he replied "I got an F"
to which his mother would practically explode with anger. Then he would say, "Just kidding, i got a C"
and in comparison, it didn't seem so bad.

you could also motivate someone with reverse psychology if the expect a negative outcome, and work so that it doesn't happen.

Answer 4

It's when you say the opposite of what you want the person to pick in order for them to pick the one you want them to pick.

An example of reverse psychology would be like if you wanted your friend to go with you somewhere and they didn't really want to you could say something like "Well, fine, I didn't really want you to go anyway!"

Answer 5

Reverse psychology is when you say one thing to to someone to get what you want.

Answer 6

I think its something like, when you ask someone to do something and they don't want to do it, but then you just say, "fine, don't do it" and you state all the bad things that will happen to you which changes the mind of that person.

Answer 7

Getting you to do or think things by telling you the opposite.

Answer 8

its like you are the reflection of the opposite meaning of what you mean.. like smiling when you feel like crying...