The consistency principle: Why you should be cautious agreeing to small requests
We tend to behave consistently with what we have said or done before.
What is the danger of agreeing to small requests that seem insignificant?
What is the effect of making public a commitment to achieve a certain goal?
What is the foot-in-the-door technique and how does it work?
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The consistency principle is our tendency to act consistently in accordance with what we have previously said or done.
In most circumstances, consistency is beneficial to ourselves and to society.
👉 Consistency offers us an efficient way to deal with the complexities of modern life: once we have made a decision on a topic, we no longer have to expend mental energy gathering facts and weighing the pros and cons. We just need to stay consistent with our previous decision.
👉 Consistency is the foundation for a positive reputation and healthy relationships, as consistent individuals are generally perceived as reliable, predictable, credible, stable and rational. Therefore, we want to be seen by others as behaving in accordance with previous statements and actions. When we make public commitments or statements, we want to back those words with compatible actions.
👉 A society in which people are consistent in their words and actions tends to be more stable, predictable, reliable and fair. This promotes social cohesion and a sense of security, reduces anxiety within the community and contributes to a stable economic climate.
The consistency principle can cause us to act thoughtlessly against our own interests. Consistency is activated by commitment. When persuaders can persuade us to make a small initial commitment in support of a specific cause, such as expressing an opinion or taking a small action, we are more likely to comply to larger and larger requests in support of that cause (or related causes). Every act of commitment changes the view we have of ourselves and reinforces the self-image that we are the type of person who actively supports the cause. Once our self-image has changed, we tend to comply unthinkingly with requests that fit this new self-image. So we must be cautious about granting seemingly unimportant requests, as this can change our self-image and lead us to later accept larger requests that we would normally have rejected.
Commitments are most effective at changing people's self-image and future behaviour when they have the following characteristics:
👉 Voluntary: Voluntarily committing to something means that we consciously make our own choice and that the commitment is a genuine reflection of our personal values and beliefs. Our voluntary action proves to us that we are the type of person who is committed to the cause. When we perceive the absence of external pressure, we take internal ownership and responsibility for our behaviour. This makes it more likely that we will stick with our commitment over time. If a commitment feels forced or coerced, it does not lead to ownership, but can lead to internal resistance and unwillingness to behave in line with the commitment. For example, threats or large rewards may lead to compliance in the short term, but are unlikely to produce commitment in the long term.
👉 Active: Actively committing to something means taking tangible steps to express our commitment, such as signing a petition or attending a meeting. Writing down commitments, such as a commitment to achieve a certain goal, makes us more likely to fulfil them. Our internal need to rationalise and justify our actions drives us to align our attitudes, beliefs and self-stories with our chosen course of action. The more effort a commitment takes, the more we align our self-image with it. This new self-image makes us more willing to take future steps that align with our previous commitment. These future steps will further reinforce the self-image.
👉 Public: We want to be seen as consistent by others. So when we publicly commit to something, for example by signing a petition or sharing a written statement with others, we are more likely to behave in accordance with this commitment. The more public our commitment is, the more internal pressure we feel to adhere to it.
Sometimes people do not behave in accordance with a previous commitment because their attention is focused on other things. By reminding them of their commitment, it is brought to their attention. Due to their need for consistency, this can cause them to behave in accordance with the agreement again. This behaviour then strengthens the associated self-image.
Examples of the consistency principle
👉 The consistency principle forms the basis for the foot-in-the-door technique. Start small by first asking people to agree to a minor, seemingly unimportant request that they are likely to say yes to, like signing a petition to improve animal welfare. After they agree to this small request (you then have your foot in the door), they are significantly more likely to agree to a larger request that is consistent with the first request. Such as asking them to donate money to improve animal welfare. After agreeing to this second request, they are more likely to agree to increasingly larger requests. With each subsequent request, they will feel compelled to behave in accordance with their previous commitments, especially when these commitments were active, public and voluntary. Every time they support a cause, it reinforces their belief that they are the type of person who supports that cause.
👉 The above foot-in-the-door technique is often used by certain types of organisations. Charities may ask people to sign a petition or attend a no-obligation event before asking them for a donation. Political campaign organisers might ask potential supporters to attend a local meeting before asking them to donate money or volunteer. Online companies can ask people for their email address to contact them later with a larger request.
👉 Suppose you want to achieve a personal goal in the coming year, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, getting certified or saving for a specific goal. You can significantly increase the chance of achieving your goal by writing down your commitment to achieving this goal (= active) and then sharing this commitment with others (= public), for example with family, friends or an accountability partner. The more widely you share it, the better. By making your commitment public, you feel internal pressure to stick to it. And if you stick to it, your self-image will increasingly align with your commitment.
👉 Suppose you want others to do something, like clean their room or let you know if they can’t keep an appointment. Instead of saying, ‘Please clean your room,’ ask them, ‘Would you please clean your room?’ and wait for an answer. Receiving a positive response will significantly increase the chances of your request being granted, as such a response is an active and public commitment.
👉 If we want our children to take personal responsibility for certain behaviours we deem desirable, we should not bribe or threaten them to achieve this. To get their voluntary commitment, we must give them a reason to want to perform the desired behaviour. This reason should contain as little external pressure as possible: they must be convinced that it is the right thing to do.
👉 People who want to register for an online site need to provide information about themselves. To increase the chances of them completing the registration process, online sites ask them for just a few pieces of information on the first page. Completing the first page gives them the feeling that they have completed the first part of the process. Due to the consistency principle they are then more likely to complete the subsequent pages as well.
👉 Once a year, Amazon gives the full-time employees who work in its fulfilment centres a financial incentive to leave. The headline of the proposal reads: ‘Please Don’t Take This Offer’. The purpose of the offer is to encourage employees to think about what they really want. Making a conscious choice for Amazon, which most employees do, increases their commitment to the company, which is strongly linked to their productivity. After people make a decision, they typically become more confident that the chosen option is the right one. Of course, nothing actually changes about the options, only about their confidence that they made the right choice.
👉 Phone callers from charities usually first ask how you are doing. Their intention is to get you to say in the usual superficial way that you are doing well. This public statement of your well-being makes it harder for you to decline their subsequent request for a donation to benefit those less well off. You don’t want to come across as stingy after you’ve just declared that your circumstances are favourable.
How to reduce the negative impact of the consistency principle
As we have seen in the examples, the consistency principle sometimes causes us to act unthinkingly against our own interests. Protecting ourselves from the negative consequences of biases can be tiresome and impractical, but it can be worth it when the stakes are high.
⚒️ Become aware of the consistency principle
Becoming aware of the potential adverse impact of the consistency principle is the first step in reducing its impact.
When you make an important decision that could be influenced by your need to be consistent with previous commitments, take a step back to examine whether the consistency principle could negatively influence the decision. Ask yourself questions such as:
🤔 Have I publicly expressed any commitment that could influence my decision? Publicly expressing a position can create internal pressure to remain consistent with that position.
🤔 Do I feel pressure to remain consistent? Consider whether you are feeling internal or external pressure to remain consistent (to maintain a reputation of consistency), even if the decision may not be in your best interest
🤔 Have I considered new information objectively? Consistency bias can lead to resistance to incorporating new information or taking changed circumstances into account.
🤔 Have I objectively considered alternatives? Consider whether you have thoroughly explored alternative options, or whether you are sticking with a familiar choice simply because it's consistent with what you've done before.
🤔 Is this decision truly aligned with my needs and goals, life purpose and personal values? Assess whether the decision aligns with what you genuinely want or need, regardless of any pressure to be consistent with previous commitments.
If you become aware that the consistency principle may negatively impact your decision, take steps to mitigate its effects so that you can assess your options more objectively.
⚒️ Cultivate a growth mindset
A growth mindset is the belief that we can develop our abilities through effort, dedication and learning. Cultivating a growth mindset can have a big impact in reducing the adverse effects of the consistency principle.
Individuals with a growth mindset are more flexible in their thinking, hold their self-stories more lightly, see challenges as opportunities for growth, see mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve, are open to learning, and constantly look for ways to improve. This makes them less afraid of being inconsistent and less likely to be tied to past decisions or beliefs, making them more open to adjusting their course when necessary.
To cultivate a growth mindset:
👉 Develop a ‘not yet’ mentality. Replace statements like ‘I can't do this’ with ‘I can't do this yet.’ The addition of ‘yet’ reflects a belief in your potential for growth and improvement over time. This subtle shift in language can significantly impact your mindset.
👉 See challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Embrace difficulties as an opportunity to develop new skills and gain valuable experiences. The more you challenge yourself, the more you reinforce the growth idea that effort leads to improvement.
👉 View setbacks as opportunities to learn and refine your approach. Analyse what went wrong, draw lessons from the experience and use that knowledge to improve in the future.
👉 Step out of your comfort zone and explore new topics or activities. By venturing into unknown territory, you expose yourself to new challenges and growth opportunities. Embrace a curious mindset that thrives on learning from diverse experiences.
👉 Focus on the effort you put into a task, rather than solely on the outcome. Recognise and celebrate your hard work, perseverance and dedication, even if the immediate results are not as expected. This helps shift the emphasis from fixed abilities to the process of learning and development.
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We tend to behave consistently with what we have said or done before. In most cases this is beneficial for ourselves and others, but it can sometimes lead us to unthinkingly act against our own interests. Cultivating a growth mindset makes us less afraid of being inconsistent and less likely to be bound by past decisions or beliefs.
References
Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini PhD
Learn the One Argument People Find Most Persuasive, Psychology Today, by Craig B. Barkacs MBA, JD
Using the Need for Consistency to Create Greater Commitment, Psychology Today, by Jeremy Nicholson M.S.W., Ph.D.
My blogposts about influence are available here:
https://www.a3lifedesign.com/blog-english/category/Influence
