The Power of Commitment and Consistency

Humans have a powerful, almost obsessive, desire to be (and to appear) consistent with what they have already done. Once we make a choice or take a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment. These pressures will cause us to respond in ways that justify our earlier decision.

This desire for consistency is a mental shortcut. It allows us to avoid having to rethink our decisions every time we are faced with a similar situation. This is generally a good thing, as it saves us time and energy. However, it can also be exploited.

For example, once a person has made a commitment to something, they are more likely to agree to requests that are consistent with that commitment. This is true even if the initial commitment was small. This is the basis of the Foot-in-the-Door Technique.

This desire for consistency is so strong that we will often convince ourselves that we have made the right choice, even if the evidence suggests otherwise. This can lead to a dangerous cycle of escalating commitment, where we continue to invest time, money, and effort into a failing course of action simply because we have already committed to it.