Mara needs to borrow James's pen and is pondering how to ask him. She considers three options-asking for the pen outright without any reasoning, telling him that she needs the pen "to write something," or telling him that she needs it "to sign a letter." Which of the following statements is true ?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology suggests that providing a reason, even if minimal, tends to increase compliance with requests. Therefore, James is likely to comply equally with the "letter" plea and the "write something" plea, as both provide a reason, compared to an outright request without any reasoning.

Mara Needs to Borrow James's Pen and Is Pondering How