What does the door-in-the-face effect describe?

The door-in-the-face effect describes a tactic in persuasion where an individual initially makes a large request, which is expected to be rejected. Following the refusal, the same individual then presents a smaller, more reasonable request. This strategy leverages the contrast between the two requests, making the smaller request seem much more acceptable in comparison to the larger one. This technique is effective because it plays on the principle of reciprocity, where the person feels obliged to fulfill the smaller request after denying the larger one. Thus, agreeing to the small request after refusing the larger one exemplifies this psychological phenomenon.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of the door-in-the-face effect. Making decisions based on first impressions pertains to cognitive biases rather than request strategies. Overestimating situational factors in behavior analysis relates to the fundamental attribution error, while the influence of confederates on participants' decisions connects more with social conformity and obedience studies rather than the specific request dynamics described by the door-in-the-face effect.