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The Effect of Commitment, Threat and Restoration of Freedom on Attitude Change and Action-Taking

Deputy Executive Officer, American Psychological Association, 1200 Seventeenth Street, N. W., Washington, D.C.

John J. Sullivan

American Psychological

After initial public or private commitment to their position, subjects received a request for further compliance that implied high or low threat to freedom to refuse. Under private commitment, high threat resulted in negative attitude change relative to low threat and this difference was attenuated under public commitment. While subsequent restoration of threatened freedom attenuated differential compliance between high and low threat under private commitment, greater compliance with the request was obtained under public than under private commitment. These results suggested that initial commitment may entail loss of freedom to refuse subsequent attitude-related requests and that loss of freedom may not be restored while initial public commitment remains intact.

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