The Effect of Commitment and Reactance On Action-Taking

Abstract

In reactance terms, commitment to a position may reduce freedom concerning the attitude position. Without an explicit request (Experiment 1) subjects under public commitment avoided further commitment-related behavior, suggesting that committed subjects may attempt freedom restoration by avoiding further involvement. Private commitment subjects complied less with a consonant request that implied high rather than low threat to freedom and this effect was attenuated under public commitment (Experiment 2), suggesting that freedoms lost by commitment involve the freedom to refuse an explicit request for attitude-consistent compliance.