What Actually Works to Change Someone’s Mind

Persuasion is most effective when easing resistance rather than pushing harder. Jonah Berger, marketing professor at Wharton and author of "The Catalyst," explains that people often resist change because they want to feel in control. He illustrates this with the "Tide Pod Challenge," where public service announcements backfired and increased dangerous behavior. To overcome resistance, Berger suggests providing a menu of options to give people a sense of choice. He also identifies five common barriers to change: reactance, endowment, distance, uncertainty, and corroborating evidence. To address uncertainty, he recommends offering a "test drive" to reduce the upfront cost of trial. When faced with disagreement, Berger advises starting by asking for less and gradually increasing asks to shrink the perceived distance between positions.