20e: Perceptual Contrast

If you would like to use the perceptual contrast principle in practice while trying to convince people, offer them the worst option first if you want/need them to exaggerate a better option and evaluate it to be better than it really is. If you want/need someone to stay away from an option, show them the best option first, and then they will think the following options are much worse. A good example of this principle is real estate agents. They keep one or two bad houses in their portfolio and never sell them. They show these houses first to the people. Then, the next houses will look much better than they really are, and people will tend to overpay for those houses.

• Related Note(s):
  • 19f: Three Approaches to Decision-Making Styles;
  • 32: Communicating Decisions in Organizations;
• Source(s): Influence by Robert B. Cialdini