persuasion 3 The drive to alleviate feelings of obligation is so powerful that it can make us bend toward people we don't even know. One university professor chose „ names at random from a telephone directory, and then sent these complete strangers his Christmas cards. Holiday cards addressed to him came pouring back, all from people who did not know him and, for that matter, who had never even heard of him.4 The Law of Obligation can be used to eliminate animosity or suspicion. als°ne stud>'> Cornell University researcher Dennis Regan had two individu s ry to sell raffle tickets to unsuspecting workers. One individual made a ticketsentl°US e°rt t0 efrienci the workers before attempting to sell any ar 0ter dividual made a point of being rude and obnoxious ound the workers. While on a break, the individual who had previously buv Л C t0 prosPects bought them drinks before trying to get them to sold n ТЬе rCSUltS °f the Study showed that the rude dividual actually nir„ SIf 3S П1апУ raffle tickets, even though the other had been so much nicer and more likable.3 On another occasion, a man was stranded on the side of the road becauSe his car had run out of gas. A young man pulled over and identified himself as a friend of the man's daughter. He took the man to get gas and then brought him back to his car. Of course, feeling indebted, the man said "]f you ever need anything, just ask." Three weeks later, capitalizing on the offer, the young man asked if he could borrow the man's expensive car. The man's best judgment screamed, "Are you crazy? You don't know if you can trust this kid to get it back to you in one piece!" But the mental pressure to satisfy his obligation to the young man won out over his better judgment and he loaned the young man his car. The pressure to reciprocate is strong enough that when people don't return the favor, they are viewed with contempt and disgust. Accepting gifts or favors without attempting to return them is universally viewed as selfish, greedy, and heartless. It is often strictly due to this internal and external pressure that people conform to the rule of reciprocity. The Law of Obligation and Marketing A filmdeveloping company thrived on the Law of Obligation. They would send a roll of film in the mail along with a letter explaining that the film was a free gift. The letter then outlined how the recipient should return the film to their company to be processed. Even though a number of local stores could process the film at a far lower price, most people ended up sending it to the company that had sent them the film. The technique worked because the company's "pregiving" incurred a sense of obligation to repay the favor. We often see this method at work when companies give out complimentary calendars, business pens, Tshirts, or mugs. The same principle applies when you go to the grocery store and see those alluring sample tables. It is hard to take a free sample and then walk away without at least pretending to be interested in the product. persuasion