The Boomerang effect in psychology: definition, features and examples

The boomerang effect is a very curious phenomenon, which all people encounter sooner or later. But only a few know how it actually works. But this information is able to fundamentally change life, making it much better. So let's talk about what the boomerang effect is. How can it be used for good? And why do not all people believe in its existence?

A bit about the Aborigines from Australia

If today a boomerang is a children's toy, then in the old days it was a very formidable weapon. The first to use it were the aborigines of Australia, in order to hunt for quirky game. The beauty of this weapon was that if the boomerang did not hit the target, then he returned back to the warrior.

However, in unskillful hands, the boomerang not only did not bring benefit, but became a real scourge. Launched on the wrong trajectory, he could cripple the owner, and in some cases completely kill. Therefore, quite often the effect of a boomerang refers to those acts for which a person eventually receives a reward.

The Boomerang effect in psychology

As for the scientific explanation, by this phenomenon psychologists mean a result completely opposite to what is expected. For a better understanding, let's give an example of how the boomerang effect works in life. Suppose someone forbids a person to think about food, by motivating it with the training of willpower. However, such a taboo is more likely to force a person to think about food, and not vice versa. In fact in this case the rule works: the forbidden fruit is the sweetest.

In addition, the boomerang effect has one more meaning. So, some psychologists and philosophers see it as the main concept of life relations. That is, when good returns with good, and evil with evil. For example, the initiator of the scandal is more exposed to the condemnation of others than his opponent.

The first studies of boomerang laws

Curiously, for the first time over the effect of the boomerang, media workers reflected. To this was the fact that sometimes a person not only did not believe in the information provided to him, but also changed his point of view to the opposite of what he was trying to convey. Later, a group of Russian psychologists undertook a study of this phenomenon, which made it possible to derive a certain pattern.

So, the most important factor is the degree of influence on a person's consciousness. That is, the stronger the propaganda, the less people believe in it. The reason for this is the special block that our brain places in the abundance of information. For example, if only one advertising poster hangs in the subway car, then most of the passengers will read it. But if there are a hundred such leaflets, they will only be glimpsed by a quick glance.

Such knowledge is very important in some areas. In particular, PR managers often use this law when drawing up competent advertising campaigns. For example, if several candidates' promises are perceived as pure truth at the election, their excess will be considered a 100% lie.

Features of the contact of the boomerang effect with real life

And yet for many, the boomerang effect is something quite remote and abstract. After all, on the one hand, everyone understands its principle, and on the other, it is naively believed that it does not act on them. It's only in reality that all people are facing its influence, now you will be convinced of this.

A vivid example are our children. Let's say adults constantly tell them not to climb trees. However, instead of listening to the elders, they immediately begin to look for a way how to circumvent this prohibition. And this concerns not only dangerous adventures, but everything else: eating, studying, cleaning and so on.

In this case, not only children are exposed to the effect of the boomerang. Quite often, adults behave the same way. For example, the more bans there are in the family, the more often they are violated. This is due to the fact that such taboos clamp the person in certain frames, which are simply hard for our minds.

Therefore, in order to avoid the boomerang effect, it is better not to resort to severe taboos. More rational will apply the principle of distraction. For example, take the same case with a child and a tree. Do not talk at the top of your voice that you can not climb trees. It will be more effective to offer the child to play in another place, explaining that it is much better and more interesting there.

What goes around comes around…

It should also be remembered that the boomerang effect quite often becomes bitter. Everything has its price, which sooner or later will have to be paid. So, evil deeds turn into even greater misfortunes, but good will be rewarded on merit.

Perhaps someone will find this statement too banal and far from reality. But let's figure it out, based on scientific facts. To begin with, we drop the punishment on the part of the law, since it, alas, is not always able to overtake the criminal. Where a greater payment is conscience, which, unlike people, always finds its victim.

So, scientists have long been proven that the more a person experiences about the committed offenses, the stronger his psyche is destroyed. And this, in turn, leads to serious psychological trauma and deviations.

Why does not everyone believe in the existence of a boomerang effect?

Mistrust of the boomerang effect is often justified by the fact that people are confident that the payoff should come instantly. But this does not happen. Often years pass before a person feels the effect of a boomerang. Examples of this surround us everywhere, you just have to take a closer look.

Suppose a woman took her husband from the family. It would seem that now everything will be fine with her, since her loved one is near. But a year will pass, and the same lady will be beaten by another lady, thereby repaying her debt. Perhaps someone will see here an accident, but in reality this is a boomerang effect. In relationships, always the way that you give, you get. That is, taking a man from the old house, you will get a husband who can easily leave his new family. The only question is, when will this happen.

And there are a lot of similar examples with the boomerang effect. But their essence remains the same: any evil sooner or later turns against the one who released him to freedom. Only the image in which it returns is changed.