Definition of Reverse Psychology

The psychology is a discipline scientific oriented to the knowledge of human behavior. There are several currents or schools within psychology, being cognitivism, psychobiology and behaviorism the three most consolidated paradigms. Behaviorism is based on a whole series of techniques whose purpose is to modify the conduct unwanted with the intention of restoring the Balance personal. One of the techniques behaviorism uses is reverse psychology. In short, it is about using a trick to achieve a purpose with the patient. The trick is to suggest that you not do something so that you actually do it. In other words, if we say to another person "don't do it", it is very likely that he wants to do precisely what we have forbidden him.

Reverse psychology is a manipulative technique and it can work in some cases. Let's look at it with a hypothetical example. Some parents want their child to have the habit to read. They could give her an award if she reads a book but decides to use the reverse psychology technique and tells her that she can only read one chapter a day. In this way, the child sees that reading is something special and it is likely that she wants to read more or even lies to her parents and reads more than one chapter. With this trick, the parents would have achieved their goal: that their child is interested in reading.

How it works on the mind

Reverse psychology as a method is not foolproof but it can be effective in some cases. And this is due to several reasons: 1) the human being needs his parcel of freedom and a prohibition represents a challenge, since it implies to comply with it or to rebel against it, 2) all people have to some extent the inclination to oppose it and when they tell us A we want B and if they propose us later B we may want A, 3) emotions play a role in our decision making and the sensation winning is pleasant, so opposing a rule it is a way of defeating the one who imposes the norm.

The mental mechanisms by which reverse psychology works are not especially relevant to behaviorism, but the important thing is to achieve the modification of a behavior. It should not be forgotten that behaviorism seeks to correct a negative behavior for another that is satisfactory and is secondary knowledge of what are the internal processes of the mind and what really matters is the result final.

From the perspective of the moral Someone might think that reverse psychology is an unacceptable manipulation, because it involves playing with people. However, it should be made clear that reverse psychology is neither good nor bad, it is simply a tool that can be used for a noble purpose or quite the opposite.

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