How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 139

1. The rule is extremely powerful, often overwhelming the influence
of other factors that normally determine compliance with a
request.
2. The rule applies even to uninvited first favors, which reduces our
ability to decide whom we wish to owe and putting the choice in
the hands of others
3. The rule can spur unequal exchanges. That is--to be rid of the
uncomfortable feeling of indebtedness, an individual will often
agree to a request for a substantially larger favor, than the one he
or she first received.
Another way in which the Rule of Reciprocity can increase compliance
involves a simple variation on the basic theme: instead of providing a
favour first that stimulates a returned favour, an individual can make
instead an initial concession--that stimulates a return concession.
One compliance procedure, called the "rejection-then-retreat technique",
or door-in