Study: A Strict Doctor's Style May Increase Patients' Conviction in Medical Advice

A recent study revealed that doctors who adopt a strict or harsh approach when dealing with patients may be more effective at convincing them to follow medical advice compared to doctors with a friendly style.
The researchers dubbed this phenomenon the "House Effect," referencing the sharp-tongued genius doctor character from the American series House, portrayed by British actor Hugh Laurie.

Why does rudeness sometimes have an effect?

According to the study, what the researchers described as "unexpected rudeness" may capture patients' attention more, prompting them to focus on the medical advice provided by the doctor, rather than treating it as routine conversation.
The researchers noted, according to a report published by the Daily Mail, that a strict style may give the doctor an image of a confident expert in the eyes of the patient, enhancing their influence.

An experiment on hundreds of participants

A research team from the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon conducted experiments on about 200 people, who were presented with health information delivered by doctors in different styles.
The results showed that the harsh or unexpected style captured participants' attention more and made them more inclined to believe the medical advice to a greater extent.

Breaking the traditional idea of medical communication

The study published in the journal Psychology concluded that unexpected behavior from the doctor – such as challenge or strictness – may enhance the credibility of medical expertise in the patient's mind.

The researchers believe that these findings reveal a striking paradox, as the lack of politeness associated with medical expertise may sometimes be more effective in conveying important health information, contrary to the common belief that kindness is the most impactful approach in medical communication.