Seriously though, you can actually make mistakes and not be perceived as an epitome of ineptitude. What could possibly ease your conscience about that awkward blunder you made 8 years ago which you chronically overthink about even today; the answer? THIS.
Before we get into the deep secrets behind this, lets get to know what PRATFALL EFFECT actually is.
Pratfall effect is a social phenomenon where you are perceived to be more likable or even lovable when you are prone to making mistakes or even blunders.
The Pratfall Effect was proved by Elliot Aronson in an experiment. In the experiment, he asked 48 male volunteers to listen to a tape recording of an interview consisting of 4 different scenarios:
A competent person answering questions.
An average person answering questions.
A competent person makes a blunder during the interview.
An average person makes a blunder during the interview.
The result:
Most people liked the competent person making a blunder during the interview.
(Bob Ross does not lie)
Why so? The psychology behind it is basically that when a person is perceived as perfect or absolutely unchallenged in their domain, you dissociate a lot because as an average human being you don't necessarily vibe with the intensity or believe in the incredulity of their performance. For example, as an average person, it beats me as to how Serena Williams has the power to conquer the court or how Leonardo DiCaprio acts or how Shashi Tharoor delegates because come on, How do I possibly empathize with such high achieving individuals?
Essentially what happens is, those people have been romanticized into a myth or a legend of human performance or acts. Making mistakes, although seen as hugely disastrous may not be as bad as it seems because this time their mistake makes them human, accident prone and associative of errors. For easier visualization, If you get like a consistent 38 on 40 in a test and suddenly you score drops down to a 26, believe it or not, you might actually be more liked or accepted in your classroom. It gives people an odd sense of security that even the best among us are not infallible and are also predisposed to making errors.
More examples. Ask a happy couple why they fell in love with each other, on the surface level you will hear each partner's best attributes, "He is a brilliant cook", "She can really just be the best dancer in the room" or "He/She is really romantic", you get the drift. Dig a little deeper, come a little closer, the real reason they fall in love with each other is because they hold a mirror to each other's flaws and in their reflection in the other person's eyes they feel accepted.
Perfection is so alien that really, it boils down to being a fantasy. A terrible, dissociative, highly attractive fantasy because it promises you a level of performance that can yield no criticism. NO CRITICISM. Sounds absurd? No because we buy into it. Everyday. Seeing someone not attain perfection makes you empathize because you too have striven only to be dissapointed.
We cried when we saw the Avengers lose in Infinity War. Why? Somewhere you too, in the deep crevices of your heart have felt the overwhelming loss after going all in for a venture be it a business, a game or an exam.
Losing or blundering allows you to be human, Which is what all life is about. By being graceful about it you allow yourself to be yourself and the truth is there is joy, peace and love in your individual authenticity, only, if you choose to embrace it.
Best use of the pratfall effect would be in comedy because nobody in the history of great sense of humour has admitted to being perfect. Look at,
Charlie Chaplin;-
Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean;-
Kenny Sebastian;-
You get to just grab the audience's attention be it 500 people in a hall where its your profession to make them laugh or in a small gathering of say 20 people, by admitting to be what most of us deny being: Human, Messy, Confused and Raw. Embracing it allows you to resonate with that part of ourselves and other that we wish would stay hidden.
Like telling people that you eat Lemon Pickle at night because you are hungry or telling that you sometimes cry when you watch Bride Wars is not a thing you would reveal when you initially meet them but choosing to risk revealing it would only make you look relatable or even likable because they seem to experience similar things too.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man: true nobility is being superior to your former self. – Ernest Hemingway
Although the application of the Pratfall effect is contextual because it is a social phenomenon, it boils down to how your mistakes are perceived, ultimately, making them won't get you hated. That is a guarantee.
(Jennifer Lawrence slipping down is just the Pratfall Effect in work, as she goes to receive her Oscar award)
Ultimately, take the pratfall effect into advantage because really even perfection can't stop you, can it?