1. People are naturally drawn to flaws; they find them appealing.
2. Social psychologist Elliot Aronson identified this as the Pratfall Effect.
3. Richard Shotton notes psychologists observe this effect across contexts.
4. Adam Ferrier found that people prefer rough-edged over smooth cookies.
5. NW University found that 4.5-star reviews are more trusted than perfect 5s.
6. Jo Silvester found that job candidates who admit mistakes are more valued.
7. Nicole Mirnig found that people prefer imperfect robots that make mistakes.
8. Indeed, robots like R2-D2 and C-3PO are beloved for their quirks and goofs.
9. Even flawed figures like politicians and bankers become likeable after service.
10. Philosopher Alain de Botton even suggests a top date question: 'How are you crazy?'
11. Seems like perfection often feels cold/fake/distant, while flaws create connection.
12. Evolution has wired us to trust those who admit flaws, signaling honesty/relatability.
13. Indeed, the pratfall effect has been effectively applied in all forms of advertising.
14. From Stella Artois' 'Reassuringly Expensive' to New Balance's bad-good dad shoes.
15. Categories, like budget airlines, openly admit their trade-offs, gaining credibility.
16. Films and shows reveal mistakes through bloopers, making stories/subjects feel real.
17. We're drawn to flawed characters, giving second chances to those who come up short.
18. Comedians often rely on pratfalls, and have mastered the art better than anyone else.
19. In fact, the term pratfall comes from physical comedy, meaning 'fall on the bottom.'
20. The Charlie Chaplins, Buster Keatons and Jackie Chans have aced physical pratfalls.
21. And the likes of Ricky Gervais, Louis C.K. and Bill Burr have aced verbal pratfalls.
22. Indeed, one of the great staples of the romantic comedy is the pratfall—often literally.
23. The thing is, a blunder from a superior person removes the pressure to appear flawless.
24. Which explains the slips of tongue and red carpet trippings of the Jennifer Lawrences.
25. But the pratfall effect comes with risks and is best applied with certain considerations.
26. It should be treated as a fedora; ok as an occasional accessory, not as a signature move.
27. The effect works for those perceived as competent but backfires for those seen as mediocre.
28. So it's ok for Elon Musk's Cybertruck to crack, but not for Joe Biden to misname Zelensky Putin.
29. It's ok when you own up a mess; like KFC apologising with 'FCK' after having run out of chicken.
30. Or for inherent flaws; like Buckley’s cough: ‘Our largest bottle is 200ml. Any more would be cruel.’
31. The pratfall effect isn't just an evolutionary instinct, it's a philosophy observed across cultures.
32. The Japanese even have a word for it—Wabi-Sabi; the art of finding perfection in the imperfect.
33. Or indeed, Aristotle's 'golden mean' suggests that likability balances competence with dignified flaws.
34. Even Nietzsche's Übermensch—flawless superiority—signifies the perfected projection of imperfections.
36. Ultimately, the pratfall effect reminds us that our humanity lies in our imperfections, not our perfections.