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The Effects of Favor and Apology on Compliance

University of Minnesota Duluth

Anthony Roberto

The Ohio State University

Gary Meyer

Marquette University

Kellie Carlyle

Arizona State University

This study was designed to test the effects of favor and apology on compliance and to explain any potential effect via indebtedness, gratitude, and liking. Two experiments were devised to accomplish these ends. In the first experiment favor and apology were varied in the absence of a transgression to see if apologizing for not providing a favor can be used proactively to increase compliance. In the second experiment favor and apology were varied in a more common scenario, following a transgression. Results show that favor has a positive effect on compliance mediated by gratitude when using a general prosocial request and by liking when using a more altruistic request. Results also suggest that apology has a positive effect on liking and that apology has an indirect effect on compliance under certain conditions.

Key Words: favor • apology • compliance • reciprocity • persuasion

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Communication Research, Vol. 34, No. 6, 575-595 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0093650207307896


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