Definitions, explanations of compliance techniques IB Psych Mette Morell

1. Compliance techniques
MM Nørre G IB Psych

2. Learning Outcomes
 Explain how principles that define the socio-cultural
level of analysis may be demonstrated in research.
 Discuss how and why particular research methods are
used at the socio-cultural level of analysis.
 Discuss ethical considerations related to research
studies at the socio-cultural level of analysis.
 Discuss the use of compliance techniques.

3. Compliance = following requests

4. Definition of Compliance
 Compliance refers to the act of responding favorably to
an explicit or implicit request offered by others.
 The request may be explicit, such as a direct request
for donations, or implicit, such as an advertisement
promoting its products without directly asking for
purchase.
 In all cases, the target recognizes that he or she is being
urged to respond in a desired way.

5. R. Cialdini has outlined a series
of techniques. Explain them:
Use the Internet to find explications… Note that
answers are on the next slide.
 Principle of reciprocity
 Principle of commitment
 Principle of scarcity
 Principle of conformity or consensus
 Principle of authority
 Principle of liking

6. We are all victims of…
 Principle of reciprocity - we tend to reciprocate; if someone
does something for you (such as, lowering the price of their
product), then you feel more obligated to do something for them
(like buy the product).
 Principle of commitment - if you make a small commitment,
then you will be more likely to commit to something larger in the
future (e.g., just buy a single book, then you'll be more likely to
buy all the other books that the Time/Life company will
regularly send you).
 Principle of scarcity - we dislike feeling that we can't have
something, so we desire the scarce object more (e.g., "limited
edition," only so many will be made).
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/08/05/the-nikon-32-1-2-
lens-only-one-left-in-stock-at-amazon/

7. We are all victims of…
 Principle of conformity or consensus - if everybody has one,
then I need it too (e.g., "This is the fastest growing or most
popular product in the country").
 Principle of authority - we are more likely to comply (i.e.,
buy a product) if an "authority" endorses the product. The
"authority" can be an actual authority figure, such as a
medical doctor endorsing a vitamin supplement, or the
"authority" can simply be someone who is popular or
respected (e.g., a celebrity endorsing a product).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-y_N4u0uRQ
 Principle of liking - we are more likely to buy a product from
someone we like (e.g., a friend or relative having a
Tupperware party, or people being more likely to buy a
product from people who are similar to themselves).

8. Principle of Liking in Action,
right?
 http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=kYofm5d5Xdw
 BTW: this commercial
stirred up the waters in the
US recently due to its
alleged racial bias.

9. Research by Regan (1977) What
principle is appealed to here?
Dennis Regan (1971) A participant and a confederate were asked to
rate pieces of art. In the control group, the confederate left the
room for a break and then returned after a two-minute break. In the
treatment condition, the confederate returned with two bottles of
coke - one for him and one for the participant.
After the paintings had been rated, the confederate asked the
participant to do him a favor. He said that he was selling raffle
tickets for a new car and that if he sold the most tickets, he would
get a prize of $50. The confederate sold twice as many raffle tickets
to the participants who had received the coke.

10. Explain/Define these Techniques
 Door in the Face
 Foot in the Door
 Low Balling
 Hazing

11. Techniques Defined
 Door in the Face – aim higher
than your actual goal
 Foot in the Door – make
people commit a little bit –
then they will be more likely
to commit more.
 Low Balling – give people a
chance to commit to less
(your actual goal)
 Hazing – make people go
through hell to attain
something; that makes them
value it more

12. The Door in the Face Technique?
Or low balling?

13. Door in the Face
 Aim higher than your actual
goal when you request
behavior: Make a request
that will surely be turned
down, and then ’give a
little’, and accept a less
favorable deal (your actual
goal).
 In what way did Cialdini
(1975) use this technique?
”People are more likely to
comply with small requests, if
they are asked to do very
large requests first. Then the
small request seems more
reasonable, because it is after
the large unreasonable
request.
Give examples

14. Foot in the Door
Dickerson et al (1992)
 What was the aim of Dickerson’s study?
 What was the procedure?
 What was the result?
 Any ethical concerns?
 Describe the role of cognitive dissonance in the participants’
behavior.
 Can you come up with other contexts where the technique might
be useful?
 Read the abstract of Dickerson’s study here:
http://www.media.cbsm.com/uploads/1/CogntiveDissonanceWa
terConservation.pdf

15. Low Balling and Hazing
 Low-ball technique refers
to a strategy to
gain compliance by making
a very attractive initial
offer to get a person to
agree to an action and then
making the terms less
favourable.
 Describe Cialdini (1974)
 Give other examples
 Here is a video that deals
with Hazing which is
sometimes really
dangerous.
 http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mJdHpnvmZTw

16. SAQ: explain one compliance technique with
reference to research.
 Write an outline of an SAQ. What steps would you take?
How would you spend your 250 words? Watch this
videotalk that takes you through the steps.
 https://voicethread.com/share/2594394/
 On the next slide, I have written the first paragraph of a
possible answer. See if you can complete it.

17. SAQ
 Compliance refers to the act of responding favorably to
an explicit or implicit request offered by others. One
compliance technique is the foot in the door technique.
This technique is applied by e.g. advertisers or
petitioners to make people commit a little bit to a
purchase or a case, because then they will be more
likely to commit more later on. (62 words)
 What is the next step?
 Can you finish answer?