Pratfall effect

The pratfall effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby the attractiveness of a person perceived as competent increases if the person commits a blunder. Conversely, the attractiveness of a person perceived as incompetent decreases if the person commits a blunder.

Psychological effect

Originally described in 1966 in a research paper by Aronson[1], the pratfall effect has become established in popular culture[2], popular sport psychology[3], and management jargon[4]. The effect implies that always being perfect - like always being incompetent - is less likeable than being competent but fallible, and able to admit mistakes.[2] For example, it may be helpful to politicians to accept responsibility for errors, as voters then perceive them as human and honest[5]. Later research has refined the popular picture but without refuting it.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Aronson, E., Willerman, B. and Floyd, J. (1966). "The effect of a pratfall on increasing interpersonal attractiveness". Psychonomic Science 4: 227-8. 
  2. ^ a b Adamo, Colin (25 September 2009). "Opinion: Yale Herald". From clumsy to cute, the great Pratfall Effect. The Yale Herald. http://yaleherald.com/opinion/from-clumsy-to-cute-the-great-pratfall-effect/. Retrieved December 02, 2011. 
  3. ^ Tauer, John (July 21, 2009). "Goal Posts". Image is Everything: LeBron James and the Pratfall Effect. Psychology Today. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/goal-posts/200907/image-is-everything-lebron-james-and-the-pratfall-effect. Retrieved December 02, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Manage Train Learn". Likeability: The Pratfall Effect. ManageTrainLearn.com. http://www.managetrainlearn.com/page/the-pratfall-effect. Retrieved December 02, 2011. 
  5. ^ Berglas, Stephen (September 01, 1996). "The Entrepreneurial Ego: Pratfalls". Why every leader should stumble. Inc.com. http://www.inc.com/magazine/19960901/1796.html. Retrieved December 02, 2011. 
  6. ^ Greengross, Gil; Geoffrey F. Miller (2008). "Dissing Oneself versus Dissing Rivals: Effects of Status, Personality, and Sex on the Short-Term and Long-Term Attractiveness of Self-Deprecating and Other-Deprecating Humor". Evolutionary Psychology 6 (3): 393-408. http://www.unm.edu/~psych/faculty/articles/greengross%20humor%202008.pdf.