Foot-in-the-Door or Moral Balancing: The Moderating Effect of Issue Similarity in Activism Compliance Post Slacktivism

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session and Reception
  In Interactive Paper Session: Communication and Technology Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

The “foot-in-the-door” effect is a well-studied phenomenon where an individual is more likely to comply with a subsequent, larger, request, if the person has previously agreed to an initial request. However, recent research on the Moral Balancing Theory suggests that an individual may be less likely to comply with a subsequent act after agreeing to an initial request. These two effects seem to predict conflicting outcomes under the same scenario. This paper presents two experiments in the online activism domain that suggests issue similarity between the actions can help reconcile these two “competing” theories. When the causes between the two actions are similar, a desire for consistency is displayed and the “Foot-in-the-door” effect is observed. When the causes are not similar, individuals are more likely to behave in-line with the moral balancing effect.

Authors

• Gary Hsieh, U of Washington

• Yu-Hao Lee, University of Oklahoma