In his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini explores the power of reciprocation. He mentions, "The rule possesses awesome strength, often producing a 'yes' response to a request, that, except for an existing feeling of indebtedness, would have surely been refused." In other words, if you give something to someone, that person is more likely to be persuaded because he or she feels like the favor should be returned in some way. Let's look at a few examples that Cialdini presents:
1. In 1985, Ethiopia sent monetary aid after Mexico experienced massive earthquakes. Ethiopia sent the money despite major internal problems to include famine, disease, and starvation. Upon further investigation, Ethiopia sent the money because Mexico sent aid in 1935 when Ethiopia was invaded by Italy.
2. In a study, a University Professor sent Christmas cards to a list of perfect strangers. To his surprise, many of the strangers sent a Christmas card in return without even questioning the identity of the professor.
3. "During the 1992 presidential campaign, actress Sally Kellerman was asked why she was lending her name and efforts to the candidacy of Democratic hopeful, Jerry Brown. Her reply: 'Twenty years ago, I asked ten friends to help me move. He was the only one who showed up.'
In the business world, reciprocation plays a major role. The "14-day" free trial on a website subscription or "free samples" at a grocery store are eliciting the power of reciprocation. The customers are far more likely to purchase the product due to the natural human behavior of giving back and avoiding the feeling of indebtedness.
The moral of the story is not to shamelessly try and ensnare people and make them indebted to us. We should use this power wisely by naturally giving in times when we do not necessarily need anything in return. This leads to an organic growth of "giving stock" that we can cash-in naturally throughout our lives.
Tony
Source: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini
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