Psychological Traps

Psychological Traps – it’s not like a mouse trap where you can get your inner child to stop asserting itself at inopportune times. Although I could probably use one from time to time. It’s actually something that I learned about this week in class. Usually I retain classroom knowledge for just a minute longer than I need to, but this topic has me fascinated.

We’re learning about this in terms of how these traps affect decision making, and one specific topic we discussed was advertising. Basically, the premise is that advertisers frame things in such a way that makes you think you need something right away or because it’s such a good deal. Like the advertisement, buy one, save 50% on the next – the more you buy, the more you save. Well, you really don’t save anything because you end up spending more. But who cares about that when I can get a second pair of shoes on sale?

The thing that interests me is how many other things in our construct of a world is affected by these psychological traps. Framing is everything. Politicians do it so much that when they talk they can say the exact opposite of what they mean, and somehow still be telling the truth. Companies so it to us with their babble about the wonders they’re doing for us the consumers while they actually are just making a buck. It’s all around us like hellish crabs from a bad date.

I guess my point (if I must have one) is that I think we are too used to this crap, and too often we just block it all out. Hell, I block out our pres. every time he opens his mouth. But I think the lesson I’m learning is that we have to constantly question the things around us, especially the things that influence us in our decision making. Granted, he may be wearing a condom, but he’s still ugly as hell. The condom shouldn’t sway you…