Reverse Psychology
Reactance
A technique involving the assertion of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what actually is desired.
Origin
The technique builds on psychological reactance theory, introduced by Jack W. Brehm in 1966, which describes people's motivation to restore threatened freedoms. Brehm, influenced by Leon Festinger's cognitive dissonance work, demonstrated that restricting behavioral freedom creates a motivational state driving people toward the prohibited option. While "reverse psychology" as folk wisdom predates Brehm, his research provided the empirical foundation for understanding why asserting the opposite of a desired outcome can trigger compliance through reactance.