Compliance “A form of social influence involving direct requests from one person to another.” (Baron & Byrne, 2000) Implies getting people to do things they might not otherwise do psychlotron.org.uk

Weapons of influence Cialdini (1984; 1994) Experiments & participant observation Identified automatic responses to specific types of social stimulus ‘Click, whirr’ responses Can be exploited to produce compliance to unreasonable requests psychlotron.org.uk

Langer (1978) A confed asked if she could jump the photocopier queue:  May I use the Xerox machine?  May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?  May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies? psychlotron.org.uk

Freedman & Fraser (1966) ‘Foot in the door’ Householders were asked to put a large, ugly sign on their lawns Experimental group had previously agreed to display a small, unobtrusive sign 75% of exp’tal group agreed, only 17% of controls psychlotron.org.uk

Cialdini et al (1975) ‘Refusal & retreat’ Students were asked to accompany young offenders on a trip to the zoo Experimental group first asked to mentor offenders for two years (unpaid) 50% of exp’tal group agreed, compared with 17% of controls psychlotron.org.uk

Milgram et al (1967) ‘Social proof’ Three confederates stood on the street looking up into the air A control condition used only one confed With three confeds, 80% of passers-by stopped to look upwards, almost none in control condition psychlotron.org.uk

compliance consistency reciprocity scarcity liking norms authority Based on Cialdini (1984) psychlotron.org.uk

Some questions Much of this research involves deceiving & tricking people. What do you think about this? Cialdini’s (1984) book could be considered a manual for exploiting people. Why might we regard that as a problem? psychlotron.org.uk