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social dynamics
A small mistake makes a high achiever more likable.
The pratfall effect states that a minor blunder can increase the perceived attractiveness of a highly competent individual, though this effect is significantly moderated by the observer's gender and the context of the blunder.
The effect is not universal; it does not apply equally to all genders or all types of tasks, and it relies on the individual already being perceived as highly competent.
Perfection creates distance between you and your peers.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Elliot Aronson, 1966
- What the check found
- While the Aronson study exists, the claim omits that the effect depends on gender and task context, making the statement an oversimplification of the original findings.
- Confidence
- Solid, with limits
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.