The rejection-then-moderation strategy, sometimes referred to as the influence technique involving sequential requests, describes a persuasion method where a large, likely-to-be-refused initial request is followed by a smaller, more reasonable request. The smaller request is the target, and its compliance rate is anticipated to be higher than if it were presented without the initial, larger request. For example, an individual might be asked to volunteer 20 hours per week for a year. Upon refusal, the same individual is then asked to volunteer for 2 hours per week. The expectation is that the individual will be more likely to agree to the 2-hour request after declining the initial, larger commitment.
The effectiveness of this approach stems from several psychological principles. Reciprocal concessions suggest that the individual perceives the smaller request as a concession from the requester, prompting them to reciprocate by agreeing to it. Perceptual contrast also plays a role, as the smaller request seems significantly more manageable when contrasted with the larger, previously rejected request. This technique finds applications in various fields, including sales, negotiation, and social influence, proving advantageous in scenarios where securing agreement to a moderate request is the primary goal. The history of this strategy traces back to studies examining compliance and persuasion, demonstrating its consistent effects under specific conditions.
