E442 - The Pratfall Effect

In 1966, a University of Texas psychologist named Elliot Aronson ran an experiment to examine the role of imperfection on human connection.

Aronson recruited 48 college students and had them listen to an audio recording of a candidate supposedly auditioning to be on a "College Quiz Bowl" team (a popular TV format at the time).

The recordings were, in fact, staged. The candidate was just an actor working from a script. But the participants believed they were real and that they would be helping evaluate the candidate.

The results were fascinating...

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