Reverse Psychology: Changing Minds!!

CHANGING MINDS !! Get somebody do something you want by suggesting that they do the opposite. This works better when the other person is worked up and making emotional decisions rather than thinking things through. A common form of reverse psychology is to forbid an action. When you say 'do not X' you are also implanting the suggestion to do X. If they say they will do something, you can express doubt that they will do this. They then have to assert they will do it (and then actually do it) to prove you wrong. If the other person is likely to believe you will use reverse psychology, you can go for a reverse-reverse effect by suggesting what you want them to do, but perhaps in an oblique and non-obvious way. Example A father suggests that his rather stingy teenage son cannot afford to buy his sister a birthday present. The boy reacts by buying her a really nice present. A student who is fed up with a friend who never helps says 'OK. Don't help. See if I care'. The friend reacts by helping. A shy guy is provoked into asking a girl out when a friend suggests he is just not interested in girls.