Low-Balling “Oh, by the way…”

Lecture Outline Low-balling technique Insufficient justification technique Discussion/applications

Low-Balling Nature of technique Does it work?

Low-Balling Cialdini et al 1978 E1 Recruitment phone call Take part in study Cost 7 a.m. Control Disclosed immediately Experimental Disclosed after commitment

Low-Balling My name is ____ and I’m calling from the psychology department to schedule psychology 100 students for an experiment on thinking processes. The experiment concerns the way people organize facts. We can give you 1 hour of credit for your participant in the experiment. Well, we have more than one time during the week, but right now I’m just interested in finding out if you wish to participate. Agree/disagree The room in which the experiment is being held is used during the day and evening by other people in the department; so we are running this experiment at 7:00 in the morning on Wednesdays and Fridays. Can I put you down for Wednesday or Friday morning at 7:00? The room in which the experiment is being held is used during the day and evening by other people in the department; so we are running this experiment at 7:00 in the morning on Wednesdays and Fridays. Can I put you down for Wednesday or Friday morning at 7:00? Agree/disagree Agree/disagree

Low-Balling Result Effectiveness of low balling supported Commitment, control 31 vs. low-ball 56% Keeping of appointment, control 24% vs. low ball 53% Effectiveness of low balling supported

Low-Balling Selection of participants People selected: Intro psych students Situation selected: Phone call

Low-Balling Commencement of interaction Built into the situation Powerful technique Ambivalent attitude Curious Apprehensive

Low-Balling Request To take part in the study Attitude elaborated Clear Expectation of performance Attitude elaborated Some opportunity Some possible cost

Low-Balling Action implication cues: cost information Control—divulged Low-ball—not divulged at first

Low-Balling Control condition Compliance test 1 Agree/disagree Opportunity provided to respond Commitment among those who agreed Compliance test 2 Arrive/don’t arrive

Low-Balling Low-ball condition Compliance test 1 Agree/disagree to participate Opportunity to respond Open ended commitment among those who agreed Compliance test 2: ambiguous Agree/disagree to participate? Choose a day, Wednesday/Friday? Prior commitment determines interpretation Commitment among those who agreed Compliance test 3 Arrive/don’t arrive

Low-Balling Theory Behavioral part of attitude is affected Determines subsequent interpretation and action With time, other aspects of the attitude might be affected “growing legs to stand on”

Insufficient Justification “Would you mind doing me a favor?”

Induced Compliance Famous Festinger and Carlsmith experiment Creating true believers

Induced Compliance 2 hr experiment Experimental conditions Control “measures of performance” Place 12 spools in tray; remove; repeat for half an hour Turn 48 pegs half turn; then another half turn, and so on for half an hour Experimental conditions Act as confederate—describe study as enjoyable Paid $20 or paid $1 Control Not asked to act as confederate

Induced Compliance Assessment of enjoyment Results Psychology department quality control survey Rate “how enjoyable he tasks were” (-5 extremely dull and boring to +5 extremely interesting and enjoyable) Results Control mean: -0.45 $20 mean: -0.05 $1 mean: +1.25

Induced Compliance Hypothesis People in the $20 condition would like the experiment most of all (compared to 1$ payees and controls)

Induced Compliance Phase 1 Interactional context Commencement of interaction Request Compliance test Opportunity

Induced Compliance Phase 2 Interactional context Commencement of interaction Request Compliance implication cue Payment Compliance test Opportunity Consequences

Induced Compliance Phase 3 Context, interaction, request, cost Compliance test Opportunity To comply To ‘witness’

Induced Compliance Implications How this works Induce action but hide costs Give illusion of choice Allow action to occur Seek behaviors of commitment to behavior consistent attitude

Induced Compliance Why it works Dissonance induction Self-perception

Conclusions

Applications?