Elliot Aronson
Social psychologist and first author of the 1966 pratfall study, in which a brilliant quiz contestant who spilled coffee was rated more likeable.
Who they are
The pratfall study is among the most retold in marketing writing. Its data are more modest than its reputation: the rise in likeability for the brilliant contestant was not statistically reliable on its own, while the fall for an average contestant who blundered was.
Key papers
Aronson, E., Willerman, B., & Floyd, J. (1966). "The effect of a pratfall on increasing interpersonal attractiveness." Psychonomic Science, 4(6), 227-228. doi:10.3758/BF03342263.
Key ideas
See The Pratfall Effect.
Sources
- Aronson and colleagues (1966), full text read, 11 October 2026.