Compliance and Compliance and PerformancePerformance

ByBy

Sarah Gouda Sarah Gouda

Shady EskanderShady Eskander

Jaime Sotomayor Jaime Sotomayor

Introduction and General DesignIntroduction and General Design

Underlying conceptsUnderlying concepts::

Foot in the door technique = compliance with Foot in the door technique = compliance with a larger request increases if preceded by a a larger request increases if preceded by a smaller requestsmaller request

Overall mood is impacted by changes in self-Overall mood is impacted by changes in self-esteem, which in turn are related to task esteem, which in turn are related to task performanceperformance

Introduction cont’dIntroduction cont’d

General ideaGeneral idea: participants received : participants received general knowledge quiz of which the general knowledge quiz of which the sections varied in difficultysections varied in difficulty

Half of the participants received the Half of the participants received the easiest section first, the other half easiest section first, the other half commenced with the most difficult onecommenced with the most difficult one

Introduction cont’dIntroduction cont’d

HypothesesHypotheses:: Participants were likelier to comply with study Participants were likelier to comply with study

if presented with easier sections firstif presented with easier sections first

Participants will report higher mood after Participants will report higher mood after completing the easier sections and their mood completing the easier sections and their mood will decline after taking difficult sectionswill decline after taking difficult sections

MethodologyMethodologyMaterialMaterial

Quiz was self-designedQuiz was self-designed

Comprised 4 sections that progress in difficultComprised 4 sections that progress in difficult

Addressed general knowledge in different fields Addressed general knowledge in different fields

Questions should be manageable at college Questions should be manageable at college levellevel

Methodology Methodology MaterialMaterial

Section 1 “Sexual Communication”Section 1 “Sexual Communication”

Which of the following represents a Which of the following represents a true exchange of information true exchange of information

between two peoplebetween two people

• SelflessnessSelflessness• MonologueMonologue• DialogueDialogue• Information givingInformation giving

MethodologyMethodologyMaterialMaterial

Section 2 “Yourself and the Universe”Section 2 “Yourself and the Universe”

What are the functions of the brain?What are the functions of the brain?

• CognitionCognition• LanguageLanguage• MemoryMemory• All of the aboveAll of the above

MethodologyMethodologyMaterial Material

Section 3 “History and Geography”Section 3 “History and Geography”

In the first speech as prime In the first speech as prime Minister, which of the following Minister, which of the following

phrases did Churchill sayphrases did Churchill say

• This is the beginning and the fight will be longThis is the beginning and the fight will be long• I shall do my duty, to god, to the government and to I shall do my duty, to god, to the government and to

every living soul in this fair landevery living soul in this fair land• I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and

sweatsweat• The Third Reich will never set foot on our landThe Third Reich will never set foot on our land

Methodology / MaterialMethodology / Material “ “ Cultural and Artistic Movements” Section 4 Cultural and Artistic Movements” Section 4

Who sculpted “The Thinker”Who sculpted “The Thinker”

• Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso• Miguel AngeloMiguel Angelo• Auguste RodinAuguste Rodin• Gustave EiffelGustave Eiffel

Methodology Methodology ParticipantsParticipants

20 AUC students20 AUC students

Location: Greek CampusLocation: Greek Campus

10 students received easiest section first, 10 students received easiest section first, 10 students received quiz in reversed 10 students received quiz in reversed

orderorder

Methodology Methodology ProceduresProcedures

Participants were briefly informed about the experimentParticipants were briefly informed about the experiment Sections were presented in two different ordersSections were presented in two different orders Students wrote down their Answers on flashcardsStudents wrote down their Answers on flashcards Participants were reminded on several occasions that Participants were reminded on several occasions that

they could discontinue after any given sectionthey could discontinue after any given section Participants were required to rate their respective mood, Participants were required to rate their respective mood,

on a scale from 1 to 5, after completing each sectionon a scale from 1 to 5, after completing each section Data was then processed to draw conclusionsData was then processed to draw conclusions

ResultsResults• Easier sections first:Easier sections first: 8 of 10 participants finished the exam 8 of 10 participants finished the exam 2 withdrew after completing the 22 withdrew after completing the 2ndnd and 3 and 3rdrd sections sections 7 other participants reported a mood swing, 7 other participants reported a mood swing, 5 students felt better after taking the quiz 5 students felt better after taking the quiz 2 students actually felt worse2 students actually felt worse

• More difficult section firstMore difficult section first 5 of 10 participants continued until the end 5 of 10 participants continued until the end 3 withdrew after taking the 13 withdrew after taking the 1stst section, 2 quit after 2 section, 2 quit after 2ndnd

Overall, 4 of 10 participants reported higher mood, Overall, 4 of 10 participants reported higher mood, 3 lower mood and 3 no change in mood3 lower mood and 3 no change in mood

DiscussionDiscussion

Compliance hypothesisCompliance hypothesis largely confirmed: largely confirmed: ◘ Participants were likelier to continue ◘ Participants were likelier to continue when presented with easier sections firstwhen presented with easier sections first

Mood hypothesisMood hypothesis refuted: refuted: ◘ ◘ the majority of participants who the majority of participants who received easy sections first reported received easy sections first reported improved moodimproved mood towards the end. towards the end. Participants who received difficult sections Participants who received difficult sections first reported first reported ambivalent resultsambivalent results..

Discussion cont’dDiscussion cont’d Factors influencing results and extraneous Factors influencing results and extraneous

factorsfactors Challenge may be stimulatingChallenge may be stimulating Quiz was informal, Quiz was informal, scores were inconsequential scores were inconsequential participants felt more comfortable with participants felt more comfortable with

failure failure Participants may have varied in occupation Participants may have varied in occupation

and time availabilityand time availability Group dynamics: participants shared Group dynamics: participants shared

answers, discussed questions, etc answers, discussed questions, etc

Discussion cont’dDiscussion cont’d

Personal preferences and attitudes Personal preferences and attitudes (e.g. enjoyment of questions, particular (e.g. enjoyment of questions, particular

interests, etc )interests, etc )

Previous mood and emotional statesPrevious mood and emotional states

Discussion cont’dDiscussion cont’d

GeneralizabilityGeneralizability Limited due to sample sizeLimited due to sample size

Internal ValidityInternal Validity corroborated, since quiz was pre-tested to corroborated, since quiz was pre-tested to

determine relative difficultydetermine relative difficulty

ConclusionConclusion

Future research into this subject seems Future research into this subject seems feasible feasible

Insight into compliance and its relation to Insight into compliance and its relation to mood may be useful to education and mood may be useful to education and work environmentswork environments

Findings were partially ambivalent and Findings were partially ambivalent and require further investigationsrequire further investigations