Pratfall Effect: likeability

You might have a person in your life who you consider to be very smart and competent. Some might even consider that person as perfect, as someone who makes no mistakes. The person’s perfection can threaten others and they begin to doubt whether the person is even human. But what if they make a mistake? Let’s say they fall down while walking on the stage. This in fact increases their likeability as it makes them more “human-like” and not so perfect. They appear to be more relatable. These people turn out to be more liked by society.

The Pratfall Effect says that people who are considered highly skilled are found more likeable when they make a mistake than those who don’t.

But the Pratfall Effect, for people who are considered as average can have opposite effects. It has been noticed that if a “not so talented” human performs the same mistake then his/her likeability decreases. Let’s say a less competent person falls on stage. Instead of laughing at it and finding it human-like, they might see it as proving one’s incompetence. This will reduce their likeability.

This also depends on the society’s views and beliefs. Different societies hold different views.

Accepting your mistakes and acknowledging them has been seen as very attractive. Sharing your past mistakes increases your likeability amongst individuals. Using this effect wisely to your advantage, by noticing where you are perceived as competent and where you can showcase your imperfect self can greatly improve your likeability. However these mistakes should be shared within its limits as to not seem amateur. It shouldn’t be overused or forced.

If you learn from your mistakes and improve constantly, you can portray yourself as a competent person who always grows.

For not so competent people, it is good to acknowledge your mistakes and assure to perform better in the future. Try to improve your competence by surrounding yourself with people who are experts in that area. A positive attitude, good communication skills and constant effort can help improve your likeability a lot!

Photo by Sarah Kilian on Unsplash