Watch for
Liking someone more after doing them a favour even if you were neutral before.
Social & PerceptionBias #50
Ben Franklin Effect
Doing a favour makes you like the person more.
A cognitive bias where performing a favour for someone leads to increased liking because the brain resolves dissonance between the helpful act and any negative feelings.
Why it matters: Named after Benjamin Franklin who turned a political rival into a friend by borrowing a book.
Try this
Be aware that your feelings may be influenced by your actions not the other way around.
Real-world example
After helping a colleague you disliked you find yourself feeling more positive toward them.
Key researchers
Elliot Aronson
First described in 1969
Psychological mechanism
Cognitive dissonance resolution. Doing a favour for someone you dislike creates tension. The easiest resolution is to adjust your attitude upward.
Seminal research
Jecker and Landy (1969) experimental demonstration building on Festinger cognitive dissonance theory.
Related Biases
Debrief
Biases are not character flaws. They are recurring patterns in how minds compress uncertainty, save energy, and narrate reality. Once you recognise the pattern, you can slow the decision down, test the assumption, and make space for a better explanation.
Sources
Original ResearchJecker and Landy (1969) — Experiment
EncyclopediaWikipedia overview