Psychological

Commitment & Consistency

What it is

Leveraging the human desire to act consistently with prior commitments.

How it works

Once people commit to something, even in a small way, they feel internal and social pressure to behave consistently with that commitment. Small initial agreements pave the way for larger ones.

Real-world examples

  • •Getting a prospect to say "yes" to a free trial before pitching the paid plan.
  • •Petition signers being more likely to donate to the same cause later.
  • •Public goal-setting to increase follow-through on New Year resolutions.

Ethical guidelines

  • ●Ensure the initial commitment is informed and voluntary.
  • ●Do not use micro-commitments to trap people into unwanted obligations.
  • ●Allow people to change their minds without penalty.

How to defend against it

  • ►Recognize when small asks are designed to escalate.
  • ►Give yourself permission to change your mind despite past commitments.
  • ►Evaluate each new request independently, not as a continuation.

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