Just like in the United States, when you illegally park, you get a ticket under
your windshield wiper. Some things are culturally consistent around the world...
Experimenters found illegally parked cars and placed leaflets that LOOKED LIKE
tickets on the windshield under the wiper.
They were actually either requests for blood donation or hair restoring shampoo
promotions!
In yet another experiment the experimenters taped the leaflets to the door handle.
(Not indicative of a ticket, something you would FEEL much different about, right?)
Finally, there was a group of cars that were illegally parked and nothing was done.
As each person returned to their car and was about to leave, an experimenter
approached and asked the driver to give them a few minutes for a quick survey for
his Master's thesis on efficient traffic.
Who complied with the request for a quick survey?
57% Leaflet Under Wiper, Initial Thought: Ticket - But it was a Shampoo ad
68% Leaflet Under the Wiper: Initial Thought: Ticket - Appeal for blood donation - Do something nice you almost got a ticket and another person wanted BLOOD!
34% Leaflet taped to the Car door - it was the Shampoo ad
40% Leaflet taped to the Car door - it was the blood donation
36% Only illegally parked, no leaflet.
Starting to catch on? Go back and check out those numbers again. That is AMAZING.
Building Block Number Three for Compliance to Your Every Desire
OK
Here's the next experiment to find out whether this is all about people complying because of FEAR ONLY or if the reason people are complying is because they experienced FEAR and the RELIEF of fear.
Students were divided into three rooms.
Room 1 Anxiety-provoking
Room 2 Anxiety-provoking, then reduction
Room 3 Nothing (Control)
(The anxiety was caused by the discovery of an electric shock that would be applied
when they mis-spelled words.)
In ROOM THREE, the students were informed they'd be throwing darts from various distances.
The experimenter enters ROOM TWO and tells the students to go into the hallway that they
will NOT be participating in the electric shock experiment but a dart throwing experiment. WHEW!
A female student approached students in the hall one by one asking for participation
in a charity event for an orphanage. Students were asked how much time they would
be willing to give to the event.
Now, who complies and to what degrees?!!!?:
Room 1 Fear - 37% Complied, .625 # Days Promised
Room 2 Fear, then Reduction - 75% Complied, 1.15 Days Promised
Room 3 (Control) - 52% Complied, 1.02 Days Promised
KEYPOINT: The induction and then reduction of fear causes compliance in requests immediately
following the emotional seesaw drama!
AHHHH but does the see saw drama work in reverse? Do we really have it figured out?
We think it's Fear Induction, Then Reduction....or is it...., turn the page...
