Why Reverse Psychology Is the Key to Getting What You Want

If you’ve never heard the term, it refers to persuasion techniques to lead someone to do what you want them to do by convincing them they don’t want that. To show you how this technique works and why it can be so effective, here’s a brief history of reverse psychology and how and why it works.

How to Use Reverse Psychology 

Reverse psychology is the act of saying something you don’t want someone else to do or say to get them not to do it. If you tell someone not to do something and are likely motivated by curiosity, they’ll do it just because you said not to. It can be used in several ways-you could tell your friend they should eat less sugar if you want them to start eating more cookies, or tell your sister she needs a haircut if you want her hair long. 

It’s also an excellent way for parents and children: telling your child that he can’t have his dessert will make him beg even more. But it works best when there are limited options. If someone tells you they want ice cream but then says No, I’m only allowed to have cake then their words might sound like an invitation for ice cream.

And if you’re dealing with kids who love electronics, try telling them not to play with their phones all day. They may be interested in how they use the phone while still obeying what you told them.

How Does It Work?

It is based on a simple psychological principle, operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is when an individual’s behavior changes in response to outside influences, such as praise or punishment. This means that if someone does something nice for you and you don’t want them to do it anymore, all you have to do is punish them. If someone does something terrible and you want them to do it again, all you have to do is reward them. 

Most of us can recognize this principle in ourselves at some point or another—how often have we got angry at our parents so that they’ll pay attention? For reverse psychology to work best, there needs to be some consequence for not complying with your wishes—a reward or punishment. So, if you are trying to get someone to give up smoking, they might say, I’m never going to stop. 

The next step would be to tell them that they’re already doing better than anyone else has been able to do before. They may then feel like giving up since no one has been able to help them quit before.The main downside of it is that it doesn’t always work out well because people will usually react by doing the opposite of what you’re telling them. So make sure whatever consequence you choose will lead them in the right direction!

Top 5 Techniques

One simple technique is to do the opposite of what you want someone else to do. For example, if you want someone not to call you back, call them three times in a row.

Another way of employing is by reframing something as a positive experience or outcome you’re trying to avoid.

If your goal is for someone not to buy something, then start selling it aggressively and at an even higher price point than usual- this will compel people who are on the fence about buying it because they think it’s overprice. Still, they’ll buy it anyway because they don’t want anyone else getting their hands on it before them. 

A third technique is to make your intentions clear and let the other person know that you have no interest in working with them; this will often prompt them to approach you first so they can show off how much they want to work with you. 

The fifth tip is all about thinking outside of the box: create two offers (each one being better than the last), send one email out at 9 AM when most people are still sleeping, and another email out at 9 PM when most people are just starting their evening routine (you might get more responses from those who checked emails during non-peak hours).

Don’t Overuse 

We’ve all heard of it, but most people don’t know how it works or what they should do with it. When you want someone to do something, you tell them not to do it—and then they usually end up doing what you wanted in the first place. It sounds pretty confusing, right? Well, it’s a handy tool that can help get your way in certain situations.

Here are some tips for using it. Try giving the person a choice between two options and then telling them not to choose one (or tell them not to choose both). That way, they will have no choice but to pick the one you want them to! If you say, I think we should see ‘The Avengers’ instead of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2,’

For example, there is no chance that the other person will say yes to both options. They’ll either say yes to The Avengers or The Amazing Spider-Man 2. And if you just said, No more coffee after dinner! And your mom says she agrees with you. Chances are she wants more coffee too.

Examples of Famous People 

Reverse psychology is using your words and actions to get people to do what you want by giving them the opposite of what they want. For example, if you want someone to take out the garbage, rather than asking them nicely, try telling them that they don’t have time and that it’s too difficult for them.

If you have an argument with your significant other and you’re looking for a way out, don’t just apologize; tell them how much you regret your behavior and that you never meant any harm. The key is not being insincere in what you say–that will only work against you in the long run–but making sure it’s phrase to achieve your goal. 

A prime example of this is political maneuvering: when one party says or does something that would typically anger the opposing party but then doubles back on their actions to create goodwill between themselves. Letting someone think you feel sorry for them can be a great way to get out of work or school early.

In all cases, its main idea is pretending you don’t care about what somebody wants and hope they’ll go after it themselves because they feel like you won’t let them win if they ask directly.

Final Thoughts

This is the idea of purposely saying something oppositely to get the desired result. The idea is that by saying something you don’t mean or want, someone will believe you and do what you want them to do instead. You can use it on a partner to say no when they ask for sex. This will make them think that if they ask for it more often, then maybe next time you’ll give in and have sex with them.

Another example would be telling your boss you’re not going to like this before presenting them with your new proposal. In other words, tell them what they expect to hear so that when you present your case, they won’t expect anything out of the ordinary and will be less likely to reject it outright.