Foot in the Door

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What is Foot in the Door? Meaning.

Foot in the Door is a persuasive technique based on making an initial small request and ask more at a later stage.

The Foot in the Door technique or FITD has been researched by J.L. Freedman and S.C. Fraser in 1966 during their studies on "Compliance Without Pressure" (JPSP, 1966, 4, 196-202). Through empirical research they demonstrated that people who are asked a small request are more likely to say yes, and they will tend to be consistent with their behavior when asked for more in following requests.

The derived technique suggests to first ask a small request and, at a later stage - this could be right afterwards or later in time - come back with a bigger request or multiple requests. The attitude and behavior of the interlocutor, if positive at the first stage, is likely to remain unchanged or consistent. Compare with: Congruity Theory.

To work well, the first question of FITD needs to obtain a positive reply. The efficacy of this technique will be high if:

1. The interlocutor's self-image is aligned with the topic of the request.
2. If the individual need for consistency is high. This can be determined by values and culture.
3. The following question(s) should be a direct extension of the first one.

Forum Forum about the Foot in the Door. Below you can ask a question about this topic, share your experiences, report a new development, or explain something. Start a new topic about Foot in the Door Share your knowledge here (or ask a question)   🔥 NEW Cases of the Foot in the Door Technique. Examples In an early study, a team of psychologists called housewives in California and asked if the women would answer a few questions about the household products they used. 3 days later, the psychologi... 5   1 comments

Information Sources Various sources of information regarding the Foot in the Door. Here you will find powerpoints, videos, news, etc. to use in your own lectures and workshops. 40 Proven Ways to Be Persuasive Persuasion Techniques, Persuasion Theory Interesting presentation that describes 50 scientifically proven ways to be persuasive. 1. Six Universal Principles of ... Group Influences and Opinion Leadership Groupthink, Group Dynamics, Word of Mouth Marketing, Sales, Opinion Leadership, Convincing People, Persuation Presentation about Group Influences, including various related concepts such as the Social Comparison Theory and Word-of...

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Compare with: Door in the Face  |  Mirroring and Matching  |  Persuasion Techniques  |  Persuasion Principles  |  Sleeper Effect  |  Bait and Switch  |  Forced Compliance  |  4 Ps of Persuasion  |  Validity Effect  |  Low Ball Technique  |  Framing  |  Balance Theory  |  Cognitive Dissonance

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