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Mindless processing of requests? Don't ask twice
1Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada.
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Politeness theory explains how request framing, not just favor size, impacts perceived imposition. This study found request type and timing influence judgments, supporting the mindlessness hypothesis in compliance-gaining scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- The mindlessness hypothesis suggests automatic responses to requests.
- Compliance-gaining research often overlooks politeness theory's nuances.
- Politeness theory posits request framing affects perceived imposition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate politeness theory into the mindlessness hypothesis for compliance-gaining.
- To investigate how request framing and favor size influence perceived imposition.
- To examine the role of reflective thought on judgments and recall of requests.
Main Methods:
- A confederate requested varying amounts of paper (1 or 10 sheets) from students using different request types (no reason, placebic, real reason).
- Participants completed questionnaires on perceived imposition, request memory, and compliance.
- Questionnaires were administered immediately or after a three-minute delay to assess reflective thought effects.
Main Results:
- Perceived imposition was influenced by the actual favor size, request type, and time of judgment.
- Memory recall data supported a strong version of the mindlessness hypothesis.
- Evidence suggests conversation memory is reconstructive, challenging previous findings.
Conclusions:
- Politeness theory offers a powerful heuristic for processing requests.
- The study highlights the interplay between request characteristics and cognitive processing in compliance.
- Findings contribute to understanding automaticity versus reflective thought in social interactions.