What is "Reverse Psychology"?

Question

Please explain it using some examples.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You want your son to do his homework. Instead of saying "do your homework" you pretend to want him to do something else like watch TV. You tell him to watch TV, but he is rebellious, so he wants to do what you don't want him to do, so instead he does his homework, which is what you wanted him to do.

You say, "don't smile, don't you smile" a few times to a toddler, and what do they do? They smile.

Answer 2

Hi Charles, of course reverse psychology is 180 degrees out from forward psychology, not to be confused with the history of psychology were looking backwards in time shouldn't be confused with going in reverse. Charles, I'm afraid you're on a snipe hunt; you have encountered a myth. Several years now studying psychology, and I have never ran across the term in a text- which doesn't mean I don't know what you are talking about. I can think of two concepts in psychology that come close to what I think you mean. First look in a undergraduate Social Psychology text book for methods of persuasion, the social maneuvers sales people use. Also, you might be interested in a similar phenomena (maybe it is similar) which is psychoanalytic concept called resistance. Look that up in a psychological dictionary and on Psych Lit at your local libarary. Good hunting, rmprroombouncer

Answer 3

When a person is using 'reverse psychology', the person is pretending to themselves that he or she believes the opposite of what they really believe.

For example, Susie O'Neill, an olympic swimmer admitted in 2000 after qualifying for the 2000 Australian Olympic team and breaking Mary T. Meagher's 19 year old butterfly record, that she used pessimism to help reach her goals. What this means is that she actually tells herself that she probably WON'T achieve her goals and so there is nothing to feel pressured about - in fact (in her mind) she probably believes that the pressure is really on her competitors.

The reason why pessimism can be effective for certain people is; some people feel that there is already enough pressure on them (from others) to perform, without them having to apply any extra pressure on themselves by also expecting to win or achieve some very high goal. Pessimism (when used correctly) can actually be a way of mentally relaxing, by 'deceiving' yourself into believing that there is absolutely no pressure on you, and that you can relax and just go for it.

This approach will not work for a person who is struggling to find confidence, they would definitely need a more positive, upbeat approach. A negative approach would only reduce their confidence even further.

"Reverse psychology is most related to the psychological concept of reactance. Reactance is an action in direct contradiction to rules and/or regulations that threaten or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms; it can occur when someone is heavily pressured to accept a certain view or attitude. Reactance can cause the person to adopt or strengthen a view or attitude that is contrary to what was intended and also increases resistance to persuasion. A mild example could be a boy being all the more interested in a girl playing "hard to get", or teenagers drinking to excess in an environment of prohibition when they would not do so in a less restrictive culture." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactance_%28psychology%29)

Answer 4

Reverse psychology is to tell someone to do or think the opposite of what you actually want them to do. For example:
your parents want you to do your homework so instead they say, "fIne, don't do your homework. Be a loser for all I care." The idea is that the person will consider WHY you are telling them to do something so they end up doing the opposite.

Answer 5

If your mum wants to go out for dinner and she just asks your dad to take her he may refuse and say it is too expensive or he is too tired.

If she starts talking about how much she enjoyed the meal last time they went out together then he may talk himself around to asking her to go out. Then she will use reverse psychology. She will refuse at first saying she doesn't have a new dress to wear or she is tired.

She will, in this way, not only get dinner, she will get a new dress and because she refused to go when he asked she does not even need to feel guilty about the expense.

Answer 6

You reverse their psychology

Answer 7

Using opposite commands to reach the goal you want. It's kooky, but it works, especially in kids. Here is an example. Sometimes my three year old has one of her tantrums and throws her baby on the floor saying she doesn't want her baby anymore. I tell her ok. If I go along and pick the baby up, she will continue to fight me on it. However, if I just say ok and walk away, she wants her baby and picks it up so I don't have to.

Answer 8

Its simular to normal psychology but only done when driving backwards in a car

Answer 9

i have a friend who comes out with really unrealistic wants/desires/goals etc she knows deep down they are stupid and wot she is saying is making her look like a fool, but she just wants the attention, she wants the wow factor and the fuss that talking her out of her dilema brings, for yrs and yrs i used to argue and persuade her to do the sensible thing, now wen she says such stupid things i just say "oh thats a good idea" and throw a few more equally stupid comments in the pot......she soon starts to argue bak that the whole idea is just stupid and holds no merit.........duh-duh goal achieved without argueing over it lol :D

Answer 10

this is seemingly so simple...if i tell my child she has to go to bed because she is tired she will fight it and try to stay awake but if i tell my child oh you arent tired stay up as long as you want chances are she will find herself to be tired and go to sleep..basically your are putting a thought in some ones head and that person tries to defeat what you said

Answer 11

it's manipulating someone to do something they don't want to do by telling them to do the opposite and as an act of defiance they'll do the opposite of what you're asking which is really what you wanted them to do in the first place. understand? - usually just works on children, the immature, and the stupid.