Reciprocal Concessions

The Rule of Reciprocation also applies to concessions. If someone makes a concession to us, we feel obligated to make a concession in return. This is a subtle, yet powerful, way to influence behavior.

This is because a concession is a type of favor. When someone makes a concession, they are giving up something they want. This creates a feeling of indebtedness in the other person, who then feels obligated to reciprocate.

This can be used to great effect in negotiations. For example, a person can start with a large request that they know will be rejected. When the other person rejects the request, the first person can then make a smaller, more reasonable request. The other person will then feel obligated to reciprocate the concession by agreeing to the smaller request. This is also known as the Rejection-Then-Retreat Technique.