Interpersonal Influence

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Interpersonal Influence

• October 31, 2006

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Last Week

• Theory of persuasion focused on changing peoples
  attitudes.
• When there are strong arguments for adopting an
  attitude central route is effective because it
  leads people to scrutinize the evidence (e.g.
  Computer ad).
• When there are weak arguments for adopting an
  attitude peripheral route is effective because it
  distracts people from focusing on the evidence
  (e.g. a cigarette ad).

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This Week From Attitudes To Behavior

• Research on compliance focuses on changing
  peoples actual behaviors not just their
  attitudes.
• Example Having a positive attitude toward
  Tupperware versus actually buying it.
• Compliance Action that is taken only because it
  has been requested.
• In other words, I would never by Tupperware
  unless you asked me to.
• Key Question How do you make a request in such a
  way that results in compliance?

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Basic Mechanisms

• Norms that govern the interaction
• Reciprocity
• Commitment/Consistency
• Social Validation
• Characteristics of the person making the request.
• Friendship/liking
• Authority
• Characteristics of the product being exchanged.
• Scarcity

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Norms That Govern the Exchange

• When people interact with one another there are
  expectations about how to behave.
• People trigger these expectations in order to
  gain compliance with a request.

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Norm for Reciprocity

• Rule People must give back what they have
  received from others.
• People who do not follow this rule are labeled as
  being greedy or selfish.
• Two tactics that play on this norm.
• Door-in-the-face technique.
• Thats not all technique

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Tactics Based on Reciprocity

• Door-in-the-face technique Begin with an extreme
  request that is almost always rejected then
  retreat to a more moderate request (which you
  planned to make all along).
• Reciprocal concession I conceded to you by
  making a lower request, so you should reciprocate
  by accepting my smaller request.

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Example

• Study of blood donors.
• 1st request Please be involved in a long term
  donor program.
• 2nd request One time blood donation instead.
• Result Smaller request accepted 50 of the time
  compared to control (who did not receive 1st
  request) who complied 32 of the time.

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And thats not all

• A related technique is called, And thats not
  all.
• The target is not given time to turn down the
  first offer before the second more attractive
  offer is given.
• Explanation He went out on a limb to give me the
  better deal so I should accept it.

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Norm for Consistency

• People want to give the appearance that their
  words and deeds match.
• Those who do not give this impression are seen as
  dishonest, indecisive or weak.
• Once a person takes a stand they are therefore
  motivated to stick to it no matter the cost.
• Initial commitment engages desire to remain
  consistent.

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Foot-in-the-door technique

• Ask for a small favor that is likely to be
  accepted.
• Initial compliance is then followed by a request
  for a larger, related favor.
• Explanation People do not want to appear
  inconsistent with their initial action.

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Examples

• 46 willing to give to the Cancer Society when
  approached directly. Among those asked a day
  ahead to wear a lapel pin publicizing the drive,
  80 gave.
• 53 gave to a collection for the mentally
  impaired. Among residents who had been
  approached two weeks earlier to sign a petition
  supporting a recreation center for the impaired,
  92 gave.
• Ending blood drive reminder calls with, Well
  count on seeing you then, OK? (pause for
  response) increased the attendance rate from 62
  to 81 percent.

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Consistency and Commitment

• Bait and switch technique Get people into store
  with phony promise for cheap merchandise. Once in
  the store people are more likely to buy
  something.
• Low ball technique Obtain commitment to an
  action then increase the cost of completing it
  (e.g. car dealers).

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Social Validation

• Tendency to see an action as more appropriate
  when we see others doing it.
• Mechanism Pressure to conform
• Examples
• Bartenders put money in their jars to give the
  impression that everyone tips.
• Sign your name at the end of a long list of other
  people who complied with the request.
• Give people a positive label and they will act to
  preserve the label.

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Cornell Class of 2006

• These people gave, why don't you?
• February 6th, 2006, 1058 pm  Hi Seniors,
• All these great people have given, please join
  them!  
• Let's give.
• DANIEL ABRAMOWITZ SAMANTHA ACUNTO BRIGIT
  ADAMUS LESLIE ADLER

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Who is making the request?

• The degree of compliance is also influenced by
  the characteristics of the person making the
  request.
• We are more likely to comply with
• Friends and those we like
• Physically attractive people
• People who are similar to us.
• People who like us.
• These factors can also be explained by the ELM
  model we learned about last week.

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Examples

• Tupperware parties You are invited to the house
  of a close friend who ultimately makes the
  request. More likely to buy from a friend than a
  strange salesperson.
• Attractive candidates received more than 2.5
  times the votes of the unattractive candidates in
  a Canadian election.
• People more likely to give a dime to another
  person who was dressed like them (e.g. hippies).
• People are more like to comply when they are
  complimented. Compliments dont have to be
  accurate.

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Questions

• Do these tactics work even when we know they are
  being used on us?
• How do you resist influence of this kind, given
  that it is so subtle?

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Authority

• People are more likely to comply with an
  authority figure.
• Example Rectal Ear Ache
• Physician ordered drops be given in the patents
  right ear. Abbreviated--------Place in R ear.
• Nurse put drops in the patients anus.

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Scarcity

• Opportunities are perceived as more valuable when
  they are less available.
• When freedom to possess something is limited then
  our desire to possess it increases.
• Tell people that there is a limited number of a
  certain item or it is being sold for a limited
  time only.
• Example Ban on phosphate detergents caused
  people who could no longer buy them to view the
  detergent as more effective than people in a
  neighboring county who still could.
• What is the psychological mechanism??

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Summary

• Gain compliance by triggering and playing upon
  peoples expectations.
• Make sure that the person making the request is
  attractive, complimentary and similar to the
  target.
• Give the impression that the item is scarce.