Question

At first, even Freedman and Fraser were bewildered by their finding. What was their solution to the puzzle?

A) They concluded that the participants in the experiment were irrational.
B) They decided to abandon the experiment and start a new one.
C) They attributed it to the principle of reciprocity and the foot-in-the-door technique.
D) They believed that the participants misunderstood the 'DRIVE SAVE' sign's meaning.

Answer 1

Their solution to the puzzle was the principle of reciprocity and the foot-in-the-door technique.

Step-by-step explanation:

Their solution to the puzzle was option C) They attributed it to the principle of reciprocity and the foot-in-the-door technique.

The foot-in-the-door technique is a persuasion strategy where a person is first asked to comply with a small request and then later presented with a larger request. Freedman and Fraser found that participants who agreed to a small request, like putting a small sign in their yard, were more likely to agree to a larger request, such as placing a large sign in their yard. This suggests that people's past behavior can influence their future behavior, and they have a desire to maintain consistency in their actions.