Adam Smith makes a very interesting observation about prohibition. He specifically refers to excessive interest rates being unlawful. However, he goes on to remind us, ‘This prohibition, however, like all others of the same kind, is said to have produced no effect, and probably rather increased than diminished the evil of usury.’
What’s especially interesting about his statement is the psychology of it. Chances are that if you were flicking through this book and browsed down the contents page, this chapter title might have caught your interest - you may even have skipped forward to read it. Why is that?
DEFINING IDEA…
Forbidden things have a secret charm.
~ PUBLIUS CORNELIUS TACITUS, SENATOR AND HISTORIAN OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
So, why are we innately drawn toward things that are prohibited? I remember watching an episode of the TV programme Trick or Treat, where illusionist Derren Brown demonstrates all sorts of psychological tricks and perceptual manipulations. In one show, blue boarding with a little hole in it was placed along a relatively busy walkway. Above the hole was a sign that read, ‘Do not look through this hole’. There was, of course, a secret camera filming what happened and countless people were unable to resist looking through the hole. Brown put this down to a combination of our rebellious urge to fight commands not to do something, plus curiosity.
In his groundbreaking book, Influence, Science and Practice (2000), Dr Robert B. Cialdini talks about the six basic principles of psychology that direct human behaviour which may shed some light on this. The work is the result of extensive experimental studies on what persuades people to act. Social proof and scarcity are of particular interest here and might go some way toward explaining why so many people looked through the hole.
Social proof is when we are assured of a correct course of behaviour not by instruction, but by watching to see what others do. In the TV show certainly more people were tempted to have a look through the hole when others were doing the same. In addition, the principle of scarcity also plays a role. The fear that we might miss out on something is also a driving force to action. This principle is used very effectively by the marketing industry, which creates the illusion of scarcity and taps into our innate fear of missing out. We are encouraged to buy today because the offer is about to expire or because only a limited number remains.
In many ways the reasons why are unimportant. What is important is that if we are inherently curious about anything prohibited, surely this raises some very serious questions about everything from how we raise our kids to tackling serious issues such as drug abuse.
HERE’S AN IDEA FOR YOU…
If you want to stop someone doing something, think twice about prohibiting it! Also, be aware of how easily marketers manipulate you. This is especially easy and cost-effective online, where marketers can very simply create the impression of a limited offer which looks as if it’s about to expire, yet if you returned to the site you would notice the date had changed and it was about to expire again!