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Commitment and Consistency: Hobgoblins of the Mind

22 important questions on Commitment and Consistency: Hobgoblins of the Mind

Why is personal consistency highly valued in our culture?

It provides us with a reasonable and gainful orientation to the world. without our lives would be difficult, erratic, and disjointed.

What is personal consistency?

Once we have made a choice or taken a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment. Those pressures will cause us to respond in ways that justify our earlier decision.

Why is personal consistency such an automatic response?

1. It offers a shortcut in our live
2. We don't have to think hard about the issue anymore
3. the consequences it will have when not being consistent.

How do companies make use of our consistency?

By let us make an compliance to for example to buy a toy for our children, make it sold out, let us buy other toys and because of the compliance let us buy the toy we promised in the first place a month later.

Why in telephone selling tactics it is useful to first ask how people are doing?

Because it drews an exploitable public commitment from its targets. People will feel guilty for feeling fine themselves, but not donation or helping people who are not feeling fine. So they commit.

How did the chinese during the Korean War got answers from their American prisoners?

By using commitment and consistency, starting small and build. The asked prisoners what they liked and did not liked about America. They used their not likes in groups sessions with other prisoners etc. This made him a collaborator, this made him change his image to be consisistent with the deed and with the new collaborator label, often resulting in even more extensive acts of collaboration,

What is the foot-in-the-door-technique?

The tactic of starting with a little request in order to gain eventual compliance with related larger requests.

Why do people after signing a petition of keeping California Beautiful are more willing to put a Drive carefully sign in the yard, than people you just ask directly?

People want to be consistent with their newly formed self-image of public-spirited citizens, that they consented to a request in that same category.

What did Freedman and Fraser findings tell us?

that we should be very careful about agreeing to trivial requests. such an agreement can not only increase our compliance with very similar, much larger request, it can also make us more willing to perform a variety of larger favors that are remotely connected to the little one we did earlier.

What where the great advantages of a written declaration in the example of the american prisoners?

First, because they have to write it down themselves it is hard to think they did not write that.
Second, it can be shown to other people. So it can be used to persuade other prisoners and make them believe that the author genuinely believes what he had written,

Why does consistency pressure squeezes self image from both the inside as well as the outside?

From the inside, because there is a pressure to bring self-image into line with action.
From the outside, there is a sneakier pressure, a tendency to adjust this image according to the way others perceive us.

Why are those 100 word or less testimonial contests so successful?

Because they make as many people as possible to go on record as liking the product. this testifying in writing about the product, make people believe what they have written.

What is the effect of hazing/hell week of furtunity's?

It makes the frad look more attractive and worthwhile, and it heights newcomer's commitment to the group.

What are the key factors for an effective commitment changing a person self-image?

When the are active, public, effortful and it is a inner choice.

Why inner choice is necessary for a good commitment?

because otherwise it won't get us to accept inner responsibility for the act. consequently, we won't feel committed to it.

Why should we never heavily bribe or threaten our children to do the things we want them truly to believe in?

Because than they will not do it to ignore the punishment. So it will happen when the punishment isn;t possible. (when your parents arent there).

Why instead of bribe or threaten should u use reasons that make them feel responsible for their actions themselves?

Because a reason will initially produce the desired behavior and will, at the same time, allow a child to take personal responsibility for that behavior.

Why are new reasons for the justifying of the commitment important?

Because these new reasons might be enough by themselves to support his perception that he had behaved correctly.

Why did the energy savings increased even more when people where told it would be posted in the newspaper the first time and later they told them that this would not happen?

Because not being in the newspapper took their one outside reason away for not being energy-cincious citizens. Now all their reasons where from the inside, this made sure that people where even more willing to save energy.

What are two signals to know that you're trapped in consistency or commitment?

1. The pane in the stomach feeling, this is the moment where you realize you are trapped. Here is also the point where you should say no. You can do this by explaining what they are doing.
2.Trust the first flash of feeling when youre questioning yourself if you made the right choice.

Why did the example of the women who gave the salesman a kiss worked?

By extracting a kiss, the salesman exploited the consistency principle in two ways. First by the time he asked for her aid in the magazine contest, his prospect had already gone on record-with that kiss- as agreeing to help him win a contest. second, it seems only natural (e.e. congruent) that if a women feels positively enough toward a man to kiss him, she should feel positively toward helping him out.

What is meant by the hobgoblins of the mind?

a foolish consistency.

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The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Influence : the psychology of persuasion | 9780061241895 | Robert B Cialdini

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Commitment and Consistency: Hobgoblins of the Mind

22 important questions on Commitment and Consistency: Hobgoblins of the Mind

Why is personal consistency highly valued in our culture?

What is personal consistency?

Why is personal consistency such an automatic response?

How do companies make use of our consistency?

Why in telephone selling tactics it is useful to first ask how people are doing?

How did the chinese during the Korean War got answers from their American prisoners?

What is the foot-in-the-door-technique?

Why do people after signing a petition of keeping California Beautiful are more willing to put a Drive carefully sign in the yard, than people you just ask directly?

What did Freedman and Fraser findings tell us?

What where the great advantages of a written declaration in the example of the american prisoners?

Why does consistency pressure squeezes self image from both the inside as well as the outside?

Why are those 100 word or less testimonial contests so successful?

What is the effect of hazing/hell week of furtunity's?

What are the key factors for an effective commitment changing a person self-image?

Why inner choice is necessary for a good commitment?

Why should we never heavily bribe or threaten our children to do the things we want them truly to believe in?

Why instead of bribe or threaten should u use reasons that make them feel responsible for their actions themselves?

Why are new reasons for the justifying of the commitment important?

Why did the energy savings increased even more when people where told it would be posted in the newspaper the first time and later they told them that this would not happen?

What are two signals to know that you're trapped in consistency or commitment?

Why did the example of the women who gave the salesman a kiss worked?

What is meant by the hobgoblins of the mind?

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