Methods of Persuasion: How to Use Psychology to Influence Human Behavior by Nick Kolenda Read Free Book Online Page B

as innocent as the price of an energy drink can convey certain expectations, which can then influence our perception and behavior.
    WHY ARE EXPECTATIONS SO POWERFUL?
    Why are expectations so powerful? One potential explanation lies in anchoring. Much like we adjust from an anchor point toward a range of plausible estimations (e.g., a 50–70 percent likelihood of purchasing my next book), we also seem to adjust toward a range of plausible expectations. For example, when you purchased this book, it would be impossible to know exactly how good it would be, so you likely developed a range of expectations.
    Now, suppose that before you read this book, your friend told you that it was the best book that he’s ever read, thereby setting an anchor point on the high end of an expectation spectrum. When you actually read the book, you might adjust downward from that anchor point until you reach the outermost point of your original range, which would naturally be near the high end. On the other hand, if you received an anchor point that was lower than your range, you may adjust upward from that anchor until you reach the outermost bottom of that range. In either case, your expectations—high or low—acted like an anchor point that molded your perception.
    Similarly, because extreme anchors can produce contrast effects, expectations can also backfire if they’re too extreme. If your friend mentioned that this book was so good that it could spur a new religion or bring about the destruction of the entire world, then those expectations would likely produce a contrast effect and worsen your actual opinion of the book.
    Nonetheless, research shows that conveying high (yet believable) expectations will usually lead someone to perceive an event to match those expectations. In addition to an anchoring mechanism, there are a few other principles that can explain why expectations are so powerful in certain situations.
    Confirmation Bias. First, our expectations can mold our perception because of confirmation bias , which is the natural tendency for people to seek information to confirm their beliefs or expectations (Nickerson, 1998).
    Suppose that you believe in global warming, yet you’re trying to make an unbiased decision regarding whether or not it actually exists. If you wanted to research the subject more thoroughly, you might turn to Google and search “the effects of global warming.” Woops. You’ve already fallen prey to confirmation bias because those search terms subtly acknowledge the existence of global warming. Most of the search results that appear will explain the effects that global warming can produce, thereby leading you to a biased conclusion that global warming does exist.
    We feel a strong desire to confirm our expectations because it feels upsetting when information disconfirms our expectations. Like most people, you probably cringe whenever you hear a recording of your own voice. The voice projecting from that device sounds so foreign that it can’t possibly be your voice. But wait. Is your distaste resulting from a poor recording device or is your distaste resulting from your expectations?
    When we speak, our brain hears a voice that’s different from the voice that other people hear. When we project our voice, the muscles that produce our speech cause a vibration that runs from our neck to our brain’s auditory mechanisms, and those vibrations internally distort our voice. Because those vibrations occur internally, other people (including voice recorders) hear your voice without those distortions—i.e., your true external voice. Over time, you become so familiar with your internally distorted voice that when you hear your true voice from a recorder, your voice sounds very different, and those incongruent expectations are the culprit behind your distaste toward the sound of your voice. The best way to develop an appreciation for your voice is to become accustomed to the way it truly sounds. People with a