99. People Think Others Are More Easily Influenced Than They Are Themselves

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I'm Not Easily Influenced (Or Am I?)

It is very common for people to think that others are unconsciously influenced while they are not. This is known as the third person effect. While people are unaware that they are being influenced, the denial behind it is that they do not like to think of themselves as easily swayed or gullible.

Research Study

John Bargh's research in 1996 consisted of him asking people to make a sentence with four out of five words. Each set of words had either an old, young or neutral theme. Some received the old words, some received the youth words, while others received the neutral words. After unscrambling the words, the participants were told to find Bargh down the hall and it was measured that people with the old words walked much slower than the others. When asked if they felt the words unconsciously affected them, they said no.

People feel if they are being influenced unconsciously that they do not have control. To remain in control or to think they are in control they dismiss anything that influences them outside their knowledge.

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Takeaways

Everyone is affected by unconscious processes.

People tend to deceive themselves by not believing they can be unconsciously persuaded.