Being inconsistent and compliant: The moderating role of the preference for consistency in the door-in-the-face technique

Abstract

Preference for consistency (PFC) refers to individual differences in the desire to be congruent, to be perceived as such, and the preference for others to be consistent. There are studies that show PFC as a moderator of consistency-based social influence strategies. The present article proposes PFC as a moderator of the social influence technique known as “door-in-the-face” (DITF), and suggests that DITF effectiveness also depends on consistency processes. The results of our study (N=191) indicate that although the DITF effect was generally strong, the technique was most effective when PFC was low. These results are in line with theoretical assumptions that posit a preference for consistency. Low PFC individuals prefer change and unpredictability, and therefore tend to display inconsistent behavior. As a consequence, their refusal of an initial request leads to a higher probability that they will consent to the target one. These results are the first to show individual differences in DITF and reliance on (in)consistency in the effectiveness of the technique.