Intuition sometimes leads us astray.  Consider a weight hanging from two springs that are connected with a thread.  There are also two threads that are hanging limply but will catch each spring when the thread in the middle is cut.  Intuition says that since the "safety" threads are initially hanging loose, if the thread in the middle is cut, the springs will go down and the mass will drop.

However, for certain combinations of springs, thread lengths and masses, the opposite occurs, the mass actually moves up to a higher equilibrium position. I the springs are identical:

Two springs in series:    k_eff = k₁k₂/(k₁+k₂) = k/2

Two springs in parallel:  k_eff = k₁₊k₂           = 2k

The effective spring constant is larger for springs in parallel (the middle thread is cut) and the mass moves up.