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Door-in-the-face technique deserves a closer look.

The door-in-the-face technique is a compliance method commonly studied in social psychology.

Jul 19, 2026
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The door-in-the-face technique is a compliance method commonly studied in social psychology.

The door-in-the-face technique is a compliance method commonly studied in social psychology. The persuader attempts to convince the respondent to comply by making a large request that the respondent will most likely turn down, much like a metaphorical slamming of a door in the persuader's face. The respondent is then more likely to agree to a second, more reasonable request, than if that same request is made in isolation. The DITF technique can be contrasted with the foot-in-the-door (FITD) technique, in which a persuader begins with a small request and gradually increases the demands of each request. Both the FITD and DITF techniques increase the likelihood a respondent will agree to the second request. The door-in-the-face technique was tested in a 1975 study conducted by Robert Cialdini.

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door-in-the-face_technique
  2. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3398794
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