It is a cognitive bias that causes people to like someone more after they do that person a favor, especially if they previously disliked that person or felt neutral toward them. For example, the Ben Franklin effect could cause someone who disliked you to start liking you after they do you a small favor, such as loaning you a book or helping you with an assignment.
The Ben Franklin effect is a useful concept to be aware of, since you can use it when interacting with others, and since you should be aware of the fact that others might use it on you.
The best example of the Benjamin Franklin effect comes from the story that gave it its name, which appears in the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, a renowned scientist and politician.
In the story, Franklin describes how he dealt with the animosity of a rival legislator. Specifically, after hearing that his rival has a rare book in his library, Franklin wrote to his rival and asked whether he could borrow the book for a few days. The rival agreed, and a week later Franklin returned the book, with a letter expressing how much he liked it. The next time the two met, Franklin’s rival spoke to him with great civility and showed a willingness to help him in other matters, leading the two men to become good friends. Franklin consequently referred to this effect as an old axiom, stating that
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