Boomerang Effect
The unintended consequence of trying to persuade someone of something only to result in opposite position being adopted instead.
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Origin
Psychologists Carl Hovland, Irving Janis, and Harold Kelley first recorded and named the boomerang effect in 1953, noting it occurs when weak arguments pair with negative sources. The term later connected to psychologist Jack W. Brehm's 1966 theory of "psychological reactance," which explains how threatened freedoms motivate people to do the opposite of what's urged. Hovland, Sherif, and Harvey further discussed unintended attitude changes in persuasion research in 1957, establishing the foundation for understanding how persuasive messages can backfire and strengthen opposition.
Updated February 22, 2026