22 psychological effect that distort the perception of reality

1. spotlight effect

A man tends to exaggerate other people's interest to the person. Imagine: you are ridiculous to stumble in the street or have noticed a spot on his shirt halfway to work. It seems to have seen it all, if you highlight a bright spotlight, and the attention of others is entirely focused only on you.

In fact it is not. Someone really pay attention to the speck or your clumsiness, but not all. And they did not give it a value, as you might think.

2. Faith in the justice of peace

People believe that justice prevail: good deeds will be rewarded and villains - punished. And if a bad person something happens, we think, "Serves him right, he deserves it."

A person simply need to know that life is fair and everyone gets their just deserts. Someone calls it God's will, or karma, but the essence remains the same.

3. Placebo effect

The basis of the effect - the mighty power of suggestion. Placebo - Dummy medication without having medicinal properties which offer the patient as an effective drug from its problems. As a result, people are waiting for the result, and after a while really feeling better - this is the placebo effect.

4. audience effect

A person differently does the same things alone and in the presence of other people. And observers can affect both positively and negatively. For example, a person will be better able to cope with his familiar work and worse execute new orders when next to him is someone else.

Psychologist Robert Zajonc believed that the observers become a cause of excitement, because of their reaction to the actions of a person is unpredictable. When a man does what he can and knows, it is easier to cope with the psychological stress and pain assessmentThan if it is taken for a brand new unfamiliar task.

5. Google effect or digital amnesia

people stopped memorize the information can be easily found on the web. It is no longer necessary. Internet makes life easy: everything previously stored in the library, or the memory of man, is now available at a mouse click. Information is perceived, but the brain thinks the focus and memorize it necessarily, because there is Google.

6. Barnum effect, or the effect of Forer

We believe accurate general characteristics of our personality, if we think that they are created specifically for us.

Psychologist Bertram Forer invited a group of students to take the test. Participants completed the task and delivered a paper on the processing, which is not actually performed. Forer was just one general description of the person, the right to everyone, and introduced him to his disciples. He called the students one by one and asked to evaluate the accuracy of the characteristics of a five-point scale. The result is an average score of 4.26. That is, according to participants, was high accuracy.

7. Pygmalion effect, or the effect of Rosenthal

psychological phenomenon It belongs to the category of self-fulfilling prophecies. Some sociologists describe it as self-hypnosis: human expectations influence his actions and deeds.

When we think that pretty companion (even if it's actually not the case), then we construct the conversation in a particular manner and penetrates mutual sympathy. Or when the head holds the employee hopes, raises difficult but achievable goals, the employee shows greater efficiency and better results. Such self-programming work and to succeed and to fail: the expectation of failure and it is sure to lead.

8. The paradox of choice

Choice of baffled. And although it seems like a great choice - well, in fact it turns out otherwise.

A myriad of alternatives makes the selection process in the suffering.

We need to understand what each option is different from the others and some will be better. It is not only long but also painful. As a result, a person can not choose anything at all either still stop at one option, but the fun of it already receives.

9. bystander effect

The more people who were near the site of a crime or accident, the less chance that any of them will respond and help the victims. Each witness thinks that he does not help, and the other.

A responsibility for an act shared between several people, and each person it will be lower than it actually is. But if only one witness of the incident, he understands that the responsibility to shift no one, and most likely to come to the rescue.

10. focus effect

We attach great importance to one piece, ignoring the big picture. This can lead to wrong judgment on the situation as a whole, or to negative consequences.

For example, some people believe that money - the key to happiness. But it is not so high returns in the absence of health, time or love is hardly an accomplishment.

11. Survivorship bias

We make incorrect assumptions, because not take into account all aspects.

During the Second World War, a statistician Abraham Wald was asked to calculate what parts of the aircraft-bombers to be strengthened to increase the number of pilots who have returned to base. Wald found that traveled to the base plane with the fuselage damage: on the wings, tail and other details. Vehicles with broken engines or fuel tanks were much smaller. Someone suggested to strengthen the wings and tail - it seemed logical. But Wald thinks differently: once among the returning aircraft no damage to the engine and fuel tank, so they just do not get to the base. He decided to strengthen these parts and he was right.

It would be a mistake to take into account only the returned data, ie, "survivor", while the overall picture may be quite different.

12. First impression

It is impossible to make a first impression twice. And it's important! The opinion that has been formed in the first minute dating influences the further assessment of your person. And chat with you will build, relying on the appearance of the first meeting.

13. Dr. Fox effect

bright information flow authoritative speaker can disguise the futility of what was said. Students will leave the audience with the idea that they had received valuable new knowledge, even if listened to frank nonsense.

14. confirmation bias

Man prefers information that supports his view. Even if the data are not reliable, he will still rely on them. A common trap that many times each stints.

15. illusory correlation

People believe in the connection between the things that are actually from each other are independent. This hook creates prerequisites for the development of stereotypes. "All the blondes - stupid", "In large cities, people are heartless and embittered," "a bad day, because in the morning I ran across the road a black cat" - a typical example of the illusory correlation.

We attach importance to one bright, catchy aspect, but ignore others, and because of this wrong establish a causal link.

16. halo effect

The overall impression of the person affects his assessment in particular cases. Thinking that a good man, we believe that it is also smart and attractive. Or vice versa: attractive man seems to us good and wise. We project the general opinion on the specific quality that is actually wrong.

17. effect Tamagotchi

Many people remember this curious toy from the late 90's: cute plastic shell and a monochrome screen with an electronic pet. On schedule, we fed the ward, given drugs if sick, and very grieved when he died as a result of boredom. The children were tied to a fake pet and experienced warm sincere feelings.

Tamagotchi is now lost its former glory, but remained attached to gadgets. Mobile phones, tablets, and even individual applications - all of which cause emotional addiction. It can manifest itself at any age and to provide both positive and negative effects.

18. Veblen effect

People tend to buy products defiantly at a high price in order to emphasize the social status. Many seem unreasonable to consciously choose the most expensive thing in the store only in order to carry it proudly to the price tag of up cash. But it really works: in seasonal price increases demand for goods also increased.

19. The effect of imperfections

Absolute perfection pushes, but the awkwardness and light rastropannost real sympathy. Especially if the person samoironichen any confusion turns into a joke. So if you want someone to like it, do not try to seem better than you really are. The simplicity and naturalness prevail.

20. effect Zeigarnik

Another psychological phenomenon that is associated with memory. It turns out that we remember best the interrupted action than complete.

So, if the person does not provide finish what he started, there is a certain tension that does not let up until the task is completed. And so he would remember her.

For example, an employee is preparing a report, when he is asked to go to the conference room and hold meeting. After returning to the workplace after a few hours, he will not forget what it was doing. But if he could finish, the memories would not be so clear. These tricks are also used in advertising: innuendo in the movie makes the viewer to remember it better.

21. projection effect

People attribute other qualities, emotions and feelings, which are in themselves. Kind Men think that everything the same. Survivors painful parting sure other couples, too, sooner or later, will disperse.

22. The effect of ostrich

When in our life happens something bad, we do not want to know details. Figuratively speaking, we hide our heads in the sand and try not to delve into the problem. While ostriches, as we know, so still do not. But investors try as little as possible to monitor the status of their deposits when the market downturn begins.

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