How can we get other people to
comply with our
requests? This is an
eternal puzzle of
social life. Research by
social psychologists indicates that these techniques described here can be useful - and that they are widely used. Here are the
tactics that are especially common:
Ingratiation
Getting others to like us so that they will be more willing to agree to our requests. We can ingratiate ourselves through flattery, by making ourselves attractive, and by showing liking for and interest in the target person. But be careful not to go too far with this technique or you may appear too obvious.
The Foot-in-the-Door Technique
Starting with a small request and, after it is accepted, escalating to a larger one.
The Door-in-the-Face Technique
Starting with a large request and then, when this is refused, backing down to a smaller one.
Playing Hard to Get
Making it appear as though we are much in demand, thereby making it more likely that others will value us and agree to our requests - implicit or explicit.
Putting Others in a Good Mood
Using any of countless tactics to make other people feel more cheerful - and thus more likely to say yes to our requests.