The Birdcage Effect: How to Use It to Your Advantage
Recently, when I was organizing my wardrobe, I accidentally found a set of Hanfu that I only wore once from the bottom of the cabinet. Because a friend gave me a set of ancient style hair accessories, I matched a whole set of Hanfu. Since then, ancient style shoes and cloaks have appeared in my clothes one after another.in the cabinet. When I saw them again, I couldn’t help but think of a sentence: I may have been captured by the “birdcage effect”!
“Bird cage effect” is one of the top ten psychological problems that human beings cannot get rid ofOne, it means that when you get an item one day, you will prepare more things to match it. There is also an interesting story behind this famous psychological effect, about the psychologist James and his friend the physicist Carlson. One day, James made a bet with Carlson that Carlson would definitely raise a bird. At first, Carlson was unimpressed. But when James gave Carlson a birdcage on his birthday, friends who visited Carlson’s house assumed that Carlson had raised birds. During this process, Carlson kept explaining that in the end, in desperation, Carlson really bought a bird.
Like Carlson, many people have been or are being captured by the “birdcage effect”. Especially in the era when online shopping is popular, young people have become the main force of online shopping, especially college students. The curiosity-seeking psychology and the inclusive reality of university campuses have made more and more college students become “chopping hands”. The convenience of online shopping has further promoted the fermentation of the “birdcage effect”.
A few weeks ago, I was out shopping with friends. A friend said that she wanted to buy a good writing pen to match the exquisite notebook that her sister gave her, so that she would fall in love with taking notes on reading, and thus love reading, not just reading. I joked that she must have been captured by the “birdcage effect”. But the friend said with a smile: “Why not use the ‘birdcage effect’ instead?”
The friend went on to explain: “When I saw the beautiful notebook that my sister gave me, I naturally wanted to write something meaningful on it. At this time, I might as well follow the ‘birdcage effect’ to act. When we have a beautiful notebook, I will want to buy a pen that is smooth and easy to write, and next I will want to buy a book I like, and then start to take notes.”
For the first time, I heard that the “birdcage effect” can be used in reverse. However, this can’t help but remind me of middle school, and I seem to have used the “birdcage effect”. Passing by a bookstore one day, I bought a magazine and saw the call for contributions published in the magazine, so I started writing with itchy hands, and then I fell in love with writing. Seeing the words jump out of my fingertips one by one, I feel very happy. After that, I bought a beautiful notebook to record my inspirations. More and more magazines and newspapers have appeared in my study, and my enthusiasm for writing has also increased.
After shopping with my friends that time, I began to try to use the “birdcage effect”. I bought a small fresh tablecloth to decorate my desk, and bought a beautiful notebook to record my inspiration. When everything is ready, I start writing again.
How can we get rid of the “birdcage effect” in many things, and even use the “birdcage effect” in reverse?
Various “birdcages” inevitably appear in life, but we can distinguish them. If it is not in line with the actual situation, it is a “reverse birdcage” that simply binds our consumption, we must learn to stop losses in time and maintain a heart of abandonment and separation. If it is a “positive birdcage” that motivates us to develop upward, we can clarify our goals, shop or decorate appropriately, and motivate ourselves to move towards our goals. At this time, you will find that the “birdcage effect” is actually not so terrible!
