The Door-in-the-Face Effect
The Door-in-the-Face effect is a phenomenon in which people are more likely to comply with a large request that has been preceded by a much larger and seemingly unreasonable request. The first request serves as a “door” for the smaller request that follows, which is known as the “face” of the effect. This technique is often used in sales and marketing negotiations as a way to increase the chances of success.
In 1974, social psychologists Jonathan Freedman and Scott Fraser conducted a study to determine if the Door-in-the-Face effect exists. The experiment took place at a door to door sales location. They recruited 100 door-to-door salespeople and randomly divided them into two groups. They asked each salesperson in one group to make a very large initial request to see if the homeowner was interested in buying a large and expensive item that was beyond their means. In the other group, they asked the salespeople to make a more realistic initial request. Both groups then asked the homeowner if they would consider buying a smaller but still expensive item.
The results of the experiment showed a clear Door-in-the-Face effect. Those people who had been given the initial large request were much more likely to comply with the smaller request than those who had not been given the large request. This effect continued even when the initial large request was refused outright.
Since then, many other studies have been done to understand how and why the Door-in-the-Face effect works. Social scientists believe that it has to do with something called “reciprocity”, which is the principle that people are more likely to comply with a request if it comes after another request has been made. This is because people often feel obligated to return a favor, even if the favor was not accepted in the first place.
The Door-in-the-Face effect may also be in part explained by cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological experience of being stuck between two conflicting beliefs or desires. In this case, the individual is presented with a large and unaccepted initial request, followed by a smaller and more reasonable one. This can create internal dissonance because the person may feel a sense of obligation to the initial request, even though it was turned down.
The Door-in-the-Face effect has many implications for the marketing and sales industries. It is a powerful way to increase the chances of success and should be carefully considered when pitching an idea or request. Understanding the psychology behind the effect can also help people to be more aware of this technique when others may be using it on them.
