The Effect of a Pratfall on Increasing Interpersonal Attractiveness
Aronson, Willerman & Floyd (1966) · Psychonomic Science, 4(6)
Relied on in 4 places across the academy · 3 stated limits
What is contested about it
The pratfall effect is quoted as though a blunder makes anyone more likeable. In the original it helped a competent performer and actively harmed a mediocre one, the experiment was small and used male participants only, and the replication record since has been uneven.
What it found
A competent person who spilled a cup of coffee was rated more attractive than the same person without the blunder — while the identical blunder made a mediocre performer less attractive.
A clumsy blunder increased the interpersonal attractiveness of a highly competent person.
The same blunder that increased the attractiveness of the highly competent person decreased the attractiveness of the mediocre one.
What it does not show
One small 1966 experiment on recorded quiz performances, with male participants only. The effect is conditional on the performer already being competent, and it has replicated unevenly since.
And where we carry it further
One small 1966 experiment on recorded quiz performances with male participants only. The direction is famous; the effect is conditional and has replicated unevenly.
1966, a tape-recorded stimulus, a small sample and an all-male target set. Read the direction, not the effect size — and read the next section before using it.
One small 1966 experiment on recorded quiz performances, with male participants only. The direction is famous; the effect is conditional and has replicated unevenly.
Where we rely on it
4 places in the academy. If this paper turned out to be wrong, this is the list that would have to change. Some of the instructions below are part of Gold; none of the findings are.
In the curriculum · 1
Cited alongside it
Papers that sit under the same topics and films. Not a claim that they agree with each other — only that the same exercises lean on both.
The Spotlight Effect in Social Judgment
Gilovich, Medvec & Savitsky (2000)Just Teasing: A Conceptual Analysis and Empirical Review
Keltner, Capps, Kring, Young & Heerey (2001)The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness
Aron, Melinat, Aron, Vallone & Bator (1997)Beautiful Mess Effect: Self–Other Differences in Evaluation of Showing Vulnerability
Bruk, Scholl & Bless (2018)Undervaluing Gratitude: Expressers Misunderstand the Consequences of Showing Appreciation
Kumar & Epley (2018)Research
A real study. We tell you what it found, how many people were in it, and what it can't prove.
Free to read, link to and quote. If we have carried this paper further than it goes, say so at contact@suaviq.com — corrections to this registry are the most useful mail we get.