Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine…
““Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies? The result was that once again nearly all (93 percent) agreed, even though no real reason, no new information, was added to justify their compliance. Just as the “cheep-cheep” sound of turkey chicks triggered an automatic mothering response from maternal turkeys—even when it emanated from a stuffed polecat—so, too, did the word “because” trigger an automatic compliance response””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People tend to obey when a request includes the word “because,” even without a valid reason, due to a mental shortcut.
In simple terms: The word “because” triggers automatic compliance.
Key Takeaway
Use stronger justification before asking.
Themes
social influence
compliance
heuristics
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
persuasive
observational
When to use this quote
- marketing pitches
- workplace requests
- political speeches
- everyday favors
Key Concepts
psychology
cognitive bias
language
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we accept flimsy reasons?
- How can we guard against automatic compliance?
A Different Perspective
If the reason is weak, people may still comply, leading to manipulation.