Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of altercasting (Weinstein & Dutschberger, 1963 ) as a compliance-gaining technique. The central hypothesis predicts that positive altercasting messages should produce greater compliance than direct requests. Following Milgram's ( 1969 ) lost letter technique, 2,400 ostensibly “lost” letters were placed on car windshields throughout a metropolitan area along with a business card containing a handwritten altercasting or direct request message to mail the letter. The frequency of letters returned was used as a primary measure of compliance. The results do not demonstrate the effectiveness of altercasting as a compliance-gaining technique; on the contrary, they indicate that negative altercasting significantly reduces compliance.
Original language | American English |
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Journal | Communication Reports |
Volume | 23 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 9 2010 |
Keywords
- Altercasting
- Compliance
- Milgram
Disciplines
- Social and Behavioral Sciences