The effects of altercasting and counterattitudinal behavior on compliance: A lost letter technique investigation

Monique Mitchell Turner; John A. Banas; Stephen A. Rains; Su Ahn Jang; Jessica L. Moore; Dan Morrison

doi:10.1080/08934211003598759

The effects of altercasting and counterattitudinal behavior on compliance: A lost letter technique investigation

Monique Mitchell Turner, John A. Banas, Stephen A. Rains, Su Ahn Jang, Jessica L. Moore, Dan Morrison

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

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	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-13
Number of pages	13
Journal	Communication Reports
Volume	23
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/08934211003598759
State	Published - Jan 2010

Keywords

Altercasting
Compliance
Milgram

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Communication
Language and Linguistics
Linguistics and Language

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10.1080/08934211003598759

Cite this

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AU - Moore, Jessica L.

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The effects of altercasting and counterattitudinal behavior on compliance: A lost letter technique investigation

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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