better scare tactics: polysyllabic names
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009Next time you need to scare someone into action (a boss, a client, a vendor, your child), make up a term for the risk that may occur, and make sure the name you make up is long and hard to pronounce.
In Studies 1 and 2, ostensible food additives were rated as more harmful when their names were difficult to pronounce than when their names were easy to pronounce;
[...]
In Study 3, amusement-park rides were rated as more likely to make one sick (an undesirable risk) and also as more exciting and adventurous (a desirable risk) when their names were difficult to pronounce than when their names were easy to pronounce.
Hat tip: Bruce Schneier.
