If you’ve dealt with reactance, you surely know the two equations for computing inductive and capacitive reactance. But unless you’ve really dug into it, you may only know the formula the way a school ...

The theory of psychological reactance originates in the 1960s with Jack Brehm, who developed it when he was a professor at Duke University. Brehm said that humans are negatively aroused when they ...

When a child loses motivation or rebels the moment you say 'Go study,' it is not a problem of the child's personality or mood ...

Reverse psychology is not an exact science, but communication experts try to find the right balance between positive and negative aspects of behavioral change. The longest running off-Broadway musical ...

Imagine that you’ve just started a new diet, and you ask your partner to support you in your efforts by reminding you to cook healthy meals at home instead of eating out and do something active after ...

Most people have experienced a sudden urge to resist when told what to do, even when the instruction is reasonable and beneficial. A parent tells a teenager to clean their room, and the room remains ...

This is the second part of a two-part series of essays. [July 14 update: I posted this essay July 13, one day before the Trump administration announced that it was rescinding the ICE policy described ...