What Is Reverse Psychology?

Discuss morality and ethics in this message board.
Featured Article: Philosophical Analysis of Abortion, The Right to Life, and Murder
Stanley Huang
Posts: 525
Joined: April 7th, 2011, 9:52 am

What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Stanley Huang »

What is reverse psychology?

I often feel human beings are strange animals, maybe like many other animals.

Just like when my mother kept on telling me not to eat too much rubbish foods or soft drinks, when mum said that, the more she told me to eat less, the more desire I have.

It is like you having a dog, now, you tell your dog, you say: “Do not be naughty. Do not bark.” But sometimes, maybe the more you tell your dog not to be naughty, the more naughty he becomes.

And my mother will use horrifying words to scare me, saying that you go to end up in the hospital if you eat too much junk food or soft drink, and in the beginning, I feel scared, but later on, I cannot control myself and I said to her: “I cannot help it. And perhaps, the more you tell me not to eat, the more desire I have.”

Perhaps, maybe if she does not want me to eat too much junk food, she should say it the opposite. Maybe she should say: “Oh, why don’t you eat more junk food. That is healthy for you.”

Is she says that, maybe I will eat less. This is reverse psychology.

Just like a married woman kept on telling her husband not to have an affair with another woman, the more restriction she wants to give to her husband, maybe the more desire that her husband wants to have an affair.

But if she says: “Oh, it is not bad thing to do to have an affair.”

Then, maybe the husband will love his wife a bit more.

So, maybe this is reverse psychology.

Don’t you think so?

Isn’t human strange animal, just like other animal?

So this is why I often feel that those people who harshly judge others, not only they are not stopping them, but maybe they are promoting it even further, whether is drugs, alcohol, sex or whatever, that I feel humans are strange animals.

Do you agree?
User avatar
MJM85
New Trial Member
Posts: 1
Joined: July 28th, 2018, 10:21 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by MJM85 »

Reverse psychology refers to getting another person to do or say something by telling them the opposite of what is desired. ... Stick to using reverse psychology on occasion only, and in non-serious situations.

Once u can master the above ,, youve got life by the balls all of a sudden everyone is on your side!

No money in the world can buy this gift,,

Reverse phycology,,,,has many angles you have to know how to use it too your advantage and be ready for any set backs , and most important is to able to win win when things go wrong .

Questions ???? Replys
Alias
Posts: 3119
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Alias »

MJM85 wrote: July 28th, 2018, 10:40 pm Reverse psychology refers to getting another person to do or say something by telling them the opposite of what is desired.
.. .when they believe that's not what you desire and they want what you don't.
IOW - psychology
User avatar
Burning ghost
Posts: 3065
Joined: February 27th, 2016, 3:10 am

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Burning ghost »

Ygolohcysp?
AKA badgerjelly
Steve3007
Posts: 10339
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Steve3007 »

Reverse psychology relies on the perfectly natural and normal assumption that if an authority figure tells you to do something it's probably no fun. So do the opposite.
Burning ghost wrote:Ygolohcysp?
Yes, I had one, but the leg fell off.
User avatar
ThomasHobbes
Posts: 1122
Joined: May 5th, 2018, 5:53 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by ThomasHobbes »

Burning ghost wrote: September 14th, 2018, 2:51 am Ygolohcysp?

! rewsna doog
User avatar
Sy Borg
Site Admin
Posts: 14994
Joined: December 16th, 2013, 9:05 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Sy Borg »

Stanley Huang wrote: September 25th, 2012, 6:46 amBut if she says: “Oh, it is not bad thing to do to have an affair.”

Then, maybe the husband will love his wife a bit more.

So, maybe this is reverse psychology.

Don’t you think so?

Isn’t human strange animal, just like other animal?

So this is why I often feel that those people who harshly judge others, not only they are not stopping them, but maybe they are promoting it even further, whether is drugs, alcohol, sex or whatever, that I feel humans are strange animals.

Do you agree?
Many husbands would interpret that as permission for them to pursue affairs themselves. At best such a manipulation would more often just undermine trust.

Reverse psychology is a tool and, like any tool, there are optimal and suboptimal applications.

Humans and other animals are more similar than most people care to admit because we tend to not notice our own automatic behaviours. It's possible to behave in a highly automated way and yet feel deeply.

Harsh judgement tends to be either competitiveness or fear of the consequences (often of of norm transgression).
User avatar
LuckyR
Moderator
Posts: 7935
Joined: January 18th, 2015, 1:16 am

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by LuckyR »

Reverse psychology as described in the OP is the elementary school version of which the advanced degree is the art of making people feel bad by being nice to them.
"As usual... it depends."
User avatar
ThomasHobbes
Posts: 1122
Joined: May 5th, 2018, 5:53 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by ThomasHobbes »

LuckyR wrote: September 15th, 2018, 2:07 am Reverse psychology as described in the OP is the elementary school version of which the advanced degree is the art of making people feel bad by being nice to them.
Not really.
It's taking a false and extreme stance to make another react in a way that you desire.

A parent wishing their child to NOT take drugs, pretends to take drugs themselves and tell their child that drugs are "really kewl man!!". The child wishing to take a different stance from their parent decides to never take drugs since it is "so 20th century".
User avatar
LuckyR
Moderator
Posts: 7935
Joined: January 18th, 2015, 1:16 am

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by LuckyR »

ThomasHobbes wrote: September 20th, 2018, 3:40 am
LuckyR wrote: September 15th, 2018, 2:07 am Reverse psychology as described in the OP is the elementary school version of which the advanced degree is the art of making people feel bad by being nice to them.
Not really.
It's taking a false and extreme stance to make another react in a way that you desire.

A parent wishing their child to NOT take drugs, pretends to take drugs themselves and tell their child that drugs are "really kewl man!!". The child wishing to take a different stance from their parent decides to never take drugs since it is "so 20th century".
Not really.
There is a reason that folks smoked dope in the 60's, snorted cocaine in the 80's, used Meth in the 00's, and narcotics currently. The rejection of parental drug use isn't to not use drugs, it is to use harder core drugs.
"As usual... it depends."
User avatar
ThomasHobbes
Posts: 1122
Joined: May 5th, 2018, 5:53 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by ThomasHobbes »

LuckyR wrote: September 21st, 2018, 11:29 am
ThomasHobbes wrote: September 20th, 2018, 3:40 am

Not really.
It's taking a false and extreme stance to make another react in a way that you desire.

A parent wishing their child to NOT take drugs, pretends to take drugs themselves and tell their child that drugs are "really kewl man!!". The child wishing to take a different stance from their parent decides to never take drugs since it is "so 20th century".
Not really.
There is a reason that folks smoked dope in the 60's, snorted cocaine in the 80's, used Meth in the 00's, and narcotics currently. The rejection of parental drug use isn't to not use drugs, it is to use harder core drugs.
Maybe they did not use reverse psychology, or maybe it does not work?

I was not making a point about drug taking but giving an example of reverse psychology.

But since you brought it up I do not think people are taking more drugs now, nor are the drugs that are taken are any harder.
Karpel Tunnel
Posts: 948
Joined: February 16th, 2018, 11:28 am

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Karpel Tunnel »

LuckyR wrote: September 21st, 2018, 11:29 am
ThomasHobbes wrote: September 20th, 2018, 3:40 am

Not really.
It's taking a false and extreme stance to make another react in a way that you desire.

A parent wishing their child to NOT take drugs, pretends to take drugs themselves and tell their child that drugs are "really kewl man!!". The child wishing to take a different stance from their parent decides to never take drugs since it is "so 20th century".
Not really.
There is a reason that folks smoked dope in the 60's, snorted cocaine in the 80's, used Meth in the 00's, and narcotics currently. The rejection of parental drug use isn't to not use drugs, it is to use harder core drugs.
First of all you'd need to show that the later harder drugs were used by the children of people taking less hard ones. Meth for example tends to be used by a very different demographic than cocaine and the dope. But really reverse psychology does not work on everyone, but it can work on people who tend to rebel or do the opposite. And this certainly can work. It doesn't make sense to tell people to do things (that you don't want them to do) if they tend to listen and do what you tell them too.
User avatar
Present awareness
Posts: 1389
Joined: February 3rd, 2014, 7:02 pm

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by Present awareness »

Reverse psychology is a technique used to get someone to do the opposite of what you say. If my parents said to me “I think you should stay inside today” when I was a young boy, it would create in me the desire to play outside, which is what they really wanted. It is in human nature to rebel, which goes all the way back to the story of Adam and Eve. Doing something which is forbidden creates an excitement in both criminal and/or sexual behaviour.
Even though you can see me, I might not be here.
User avatar
LuckyR
Moderator
Posts: 7935
Joined: January 18th, 2015, 1:16 am

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by LuckyR »

ThomasHobbes wrote: September 21st, 2018, 12:38 pm
LuckyR wrote: September 21st, 2018, 11:29 am

Not really.
There is a reason that folks smoked dope in the 60's, snorted cocaine in the 80's, used Meth in the 00's, and narcotics currently. The rejection of parental drug use isn't to not use drugs, it is to use harder core drugs.
Maybe they did not use reverse psychology, or maybe it does not work?

I was not making a point about drug taking but giving an example of reverse psychology.

But since you brought it up I do not think people are taking more drugs now, nor are the drugs that are taken are any harder.
You are free to "think" whatever you want. However US drug deaths have doubled in the last decade and gone from about 17,000 to 72,000 in less than two decades (1999 to 2017)
"As usual... it depends."
User avatar
LuckyR
Moderator
Posts: 7935
Joined: January 18th, 2015, 1:16 am

Re: What Is Reverse Psychology?

Post by LuckyR »

Karpel Tunnel wrote: September 21st, 2018, 4:27 pm
LuckyR wrote: September 21st, 2018, 11:29 am

Not really.
There is a reason that folks smoked dope in the 60's, snorted cocaine in the 80's, used Meth in the 00's, and narcotics currently. The rejection of parental drug use isn't to not use drugs, it is to use harder core drugs.
First of all you'd need to show that the later harder drugs were used by the children of people taking less hard ones. Meth for example tends to be used by a very different demographic than cocaine and the dope. But really reverse psychology does not work on everyone, but it can work on people who tend to rebel or do the opposite. And this certainly can work. It doesn't make sense to tell people to do things (that you don't want them to do) if they tend to listen and do what you tell them too.
Don't get me wrong. Reverse psychology (like regular pop psychology) is an influencer but far from a dictator of decision making. Thus it can be best appreciated when looking at large group trends over long periods of time (not individuals).
"As usual... it depends."
Post Reply

Return to “Ethics and Morality”

2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise
by John K Danenbarger
January 2023

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023

The Unfakeable Code®

The Unfakeable Code®
by Tony Jeton Selimi
April 2023

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
by Alan Watts
May 2023

Killing Abel

Killing Abel
by Michael Tieman
June 2023

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead
by E. Alan Fleischauer
July 2023

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough
by Mark Unger
August 2023

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational
by Dan Ariely
September 2023

Artwords

Artwords
by Beatriz M. Robles
November 2023

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope
by Dr. Randy Ross
December 2023

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes
by Ali Master
February 2024

2022 Philosophy Books of the Month

Emotional Intelligence At Work

Emotional Intelligence At Work
by Richard M Contino & Penelope J Holt
January 2022

Free Will, Do You Have It?

Free Will, Do You Have It?
by Albertus Kral
February 2022

My Enemy in Vietnam

My Enemy in Vietnam
by Billy Springer
March 2022

2X2 on the Ark

2X2 on the Ark
by Mary J Giuffra, PhD
April 2022

The Maestro Monologue

The Maestro Monologue
by Rob White
May 2022

What Makes America Great

What Makes America Great
by Bob Dowell
June 2022

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!
by Jerry Durr
July 2022

Living in Color

Living in Color
by Mike Murphy
August 2022 (tentative)

The Not So Great American Novel

The Not So Great American Novel
by James E Doucette
September 2022

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches
by John N. (Jake) Ferris
October 2022

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All
by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
November 2022

The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity

The Smartest Person in the Room
by Christian Espinosa
December 2022

2021 Philosophy Books of the Month

The Biblical Clock: The Untold Secrets Linking the Universe and Humanity with God's Plan

The Biblical Clock
by Daniel Friedmann
March 2021

Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe

Wilderness Cry
by Dr. Hilary L Hunt M.D.
April 2021

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute: Tools To Spark Your Dream And Ignite Your Follow-Through

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute
by Jeff Meyer
May 2021

Surviving the Business of Healthcare: Knowledge is Power

Surviving the Business of Healthcare
by Barbara Galutia Regis M.S. PA-C
June 2021

Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure

Winning the War on Cancer
by Sylvie Beljanski
July 2021

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
by Dr Frank L Douglas
August 2021

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts
by Mark L. Wdowiak
September 2021

The Preppers Medical Handbook

The Preppers Medical Handbook
by Dr. William W Forgey M.D.
October 2021

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress
by Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, MD
November 2021

Dream For Peace: An Ambassador Memoir

Dream For Peace
by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
December 2021