Why Doing Favors Makes You Likeable

You are more likely to like someone after you do them a favor, not the other way around. Our brains justify the act by assuming we must actually enjoy the person's company to have helped them.

This phenomenon is known as the Benjamin Franklin Effect, named after the statesman who famously borrowed a rare book from a rival to win him over. By performing a favor, you resolve the mental tension between your actions and your feelings. Your mind settles this conflict by deciding that you must like the person, which actually increases your positive feelings toward them. It is a brilliant way to turn a critic into an ally through simple acts of kindness.