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One Word Persuasion

Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer carried out a study demonstrating the power of language  - adding one word to a simple request increased compliance rates by 33%.

Langer wanted to demonstrate how changing the structure of a sentence can influence others more effectively. The situation involved a waiting line to use a copy machine, and the researcher acting as someone who needed to cut the line. She tested two requests with slightly different wordings each time.

First: Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?

Compliance: 60%

Second: Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?

Compliance: 94%

The X-factor

You might think the difference maker was the researcher telling people she was in a rush. However, let’s see what happened when Langer tested a third request:

Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?

Compliance: 93%

What’s going on here? Everyone in line had to make copies – that’s not an appropriate reason in this context. What Langer showed us is that a valid reason isn’t always necessary because the word “because” is a powerful trigger. There was a 93% chance you agreed with that statement.

Have a small request? Test it out for yourself.