Compliance

Compliance is a type of social influence where an individual does what someone else wants them to do, following his or her request or suggestion. It is similar to obedience, but there is no order – only a request. 

There are many techniques a person can use to ensure compliance:

The Foot-in-the-Door Technique

The foot-in-the-door technique (Freedman & Fraser, 1966) assumes agreeing to a small request increases the likelihood of agreeing to a second, larger request.

So, initially you make a small request and once the person agrees to this they find it more difficult to refuse a bigger one.

For example, imagine one of your friends missed the last psychology class and asked to borrow your notes. This is a small request that seems reasonable, so you lend the notes to your friend. A week later, the same friend asks to borrow all of your psychology notes. This is large request – would you agree or not?

The foot-in-the-door technique works on the principle of consistency (Petrova et al, 2007). This means that as long as the request is consistent with or similar in nature to the original small request, the technique will work.

The Door-in-the-Face Technique

Refusing a large request increases the likelihood of agreeing to a second, smaller request.

Initially you make a big request, which a person can be expected to refuse. Then you make a smaller request, which the person finds difficult to refuse because they feel they shouldn’t always say no. For example, negotiating a pay raise with your boss: First you make a request that will not be met and ask for 20%. When this is refused, you make a more realistic request and ask for 10%.

It has been found the door-in-the-face technique produces high levels of compliance only when the same person makes the request, and the requests are similar in nature. This technique works due to the principle of reciprocity (Cialdini et al, 1975). Saying “no” to a large request may make the person feel they owe the other person who made the request a favor.

The Low-Ball Technique

Agreeing to purchase something at a given price increases the likelihood of agreeing to purchase it at a higher price.

Initially you get the individual to agree to your request and then afterwards you increase the original terms, and trick them into agreeing to more than they intended. For example, when buying a car the salesman agrees to a price, but must “check” with his manager if this is acceptable. While you wait, you think you have secured a good deal. The salesman returns and says his manager would not agree to the deal and the price is raised. Most people agree to the higher price.

The success of this technique works on the principle of commitment. Because the person has said “yes” or agreed to an initial request, commitment has been given. When the request changes or becomes unreasonable, the person will (to a degree) find it difficult to say “no” because of having originally committed themselves.