Avoiding Reactance: Strategies for Effective Communication

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This chapter explores the concept of reactance and how directly telling someone to do something can backfire. It suggests two ways to influence others without triggering reactance, emphasizing similarity and offering an escape valve. The chapter also introduces the 'conversational cutlery' model for effective communication and provides three strategies to reduce reactance in practice.

If I tell you to "listen to this podcast!", you'll be less likely to listen. We only act if we feel a sense of autonomy. So demands like this tends to backfire. Today, my guest Bri Williams explains why this happens. Listen to learn, why offering one choice backfires, why we pick the middle choice, and the FBI's guide to negotiations.

Access the bonus episode: https://tinyurl.com/nudgebonus

Bri’s book: https://www.briwilliams.com/WBB

Bri’s website: https://www.briwilliams.com/