Social Psychology

Dr. Williams

Compliance

 

Defining Compliance

• Getting you to do something you wouldnât have done otherwise

• Excellent book and reference:

  • Cialdini, R. (1996). Influence (4th edition). HarperCollins College Publishers.

Weapons of influence

Useful metaphors·

• Click, Whirr·

  • these weapons work best on us when we are on ãauto-pilotä - not processing the message carefully.

• Jujitsu

  • Compliance professionals get you to do their work for them·they provide the leverage, you do the work

Six weapons of influence

• Reciprocity

• Commitment and consistency

• Social proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Weapon #1: Reciprocity

• The not-so-free sample

• Reciprocal concessions (door-in-the-face)

large request first (to which everyone would say ãnoä) followed by the target request.

• Unequal reciprocity (25¢ for $2.00)

• Iâll do you a favour if you do me a favour

 

Weapon #2: Commitment and Consistency

• Low-balling (growing legs to stand on) (Just start filling out the paper work, and Iâll go get the ãgreen lightä from the boss·[later]

Oh·Iâm sorry...

• Telemarketers donât breathe

• Foot-in-the-door - small request (to which everyone would say ãyesä) followed by the target request

Weapon #3: Social Proof

• This is the most popular car in Australia. Everyoneâs buying one
• Laugh-tracks, claqueurs

• Bystander ãapathyä

• Jonestown

Weapon #4: Liking

• We like (and comply) with people who (say they) like us.

• We feel obligated to those we like.

• Flattery gets you everywhere·so does similarity and physical attractiveness

Weapon #5: Authority

• Blind obedience to authority

• Status signifies expertise

• Clothes make the deal

Weapon #6: Scarcity

• Commodity theory: An economic principle applied to psychological valuation--what is scarce is more valuable

• Also, scarceness implies social proof

How to stop yourself from automatic compliance

• THINK!

• Point out the compliance tactic to the compliance professional