Commitment & consistency 2 + reciprocity - Commitment & consitency

7 important questions on Commitment & consistency 2 + reciprocity - Commitment & consitency

Commitment is most effective when it's...

  • Active: you said you will participate.
  • public: you don't want to fail in the eye of others.
  • effortful
  • freely chosen → choosing yourself will adapt your norms/beliefs
    • Accept inner responsibility
      • making the commitment to a robot has a great effect as well.
    • No external attribution/justification
  • Changes in self image

What is the foot-in-the-door technique (Freedman&Fraser)

It is a persuasion strategy where a small request is made initially to increase the likelihood of a person agreeing to a larger request later on. Agreeing to the small request first is already a small commitment, so you want to follow up with that in the bigger request. It is a two step process.
e.g. If you sign a petition in which you agree that people have to drive save, as a result you will be more likely to comply to the question of placing a big sign in your garden.

Why is Foot-in-the-door effective?

It is especially effective pro-social requests. People's self image is important, so because people want to have a positive self-image, they will comply easier to be able to update their self-image positively (self-perception). Other reasons are:

  • Cognitive dissonance: I complied, so I probably agree
  • Change self-image to be consistent with the deed (self-perception)
  • Commitment
  • Desire for consistency
  • Even more extensive compliance may result that is consistent with new self-view
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Wine is presented as follows:
Inexpensive wines are okay, but expert people who really enjoy life will take this one.
How will self-generated self persuasion help you choose?

People tend to have a positive self-image, so they consider themselves to be someone who enjoys life to the fullest and knows (if you like wine) quite a lot about it, so you choose the second one. You are influenced by others who indirectly say to you that you might be the right person for the product, but the convincing is done by yourself.

At the Apenheul people fed and lured the monkeys, but this is not allowed. Signs with lines that stated that it is not allowed did not help. What influencing technique was used to help overcome this problem?

Self (generated) persuasion helped. The question stated: Why is it not allowed to lure the monkeys? People already know why, but they will think of it and convince themselves.
other ideas:
  • Commitment: let people sign something at the entrance of the park
  • Social proof: seeing others who are actively against other people feeding monkeys.
  • Adding children: Ask your parents why it is not okay to lure and feed monkeys.  

What is the difference between the low-ball technique and foot-in-the-door?

Low-ball: first request is the target behavior, which is made less attractive by added extra costs, but you already made a commitment and reasons to go through with it.

FITD: first request is small and builds up to the actual target behavior in a bigger request, which will then be easier fulfilled.

What is the bait and switch technique?

You have an initial deal, but then this is no longer an option anymore, so you get offered an alternative. The chances you will go along with it are rather high, even if it is less attractive. Even though you wouldn't have chosen that option were it in the first place.

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