The Benjamin Franklin effect is a cognitive bias that causes people to like someone more after they do that person a favor, especially if they previously disliked that person or felt neutral toward them. Here are some examples of the Benjamin Franklin effect in action:
* You are in a meeting with a colleague who you have never met before. You ask them if they would be willing to share their notes from the meeting with you. They agree, and you find that you are able to build a rapport with them more easily than you would have if you had not asked for their help.
* You are in a new group at work, and you want to get to know your new colleagues better. You offer to help them with a project that they are working on. They are grateful for your help, and you find that you are able to build relationships with them more easily than you would have if you had not offered to help.
* You are in a class, and you are struggling to understand the material. You ask the professor if they would be willing to meet with you to help you study. They agree, and you find that you are able to understand the material better after meeting with them.
In each of these examples, the person who did the favor is more likely to like the person who received the favor. This is because doing a favor for someone causes us to view them in a more positive light. We may start to think that they are kind, helpful, and generous. This can lead to us liking them more.
The Benjamin Franklin effect is a powerful tool that can be used to improve our relationships with others. If we want to get someone to like us, we can try doing them a favor. This is especially effective if we have a negative or neutral opinion of them. By doing them a favor, we can change our perception of them and start to like them more.