Commitment Bias in Marketing

Commitment Bias, often discussed alongside Robert Cialdini's Principle of Consistency, is the psychological tendency for individuals to remain loyal to their initial choices, actions, or statements, even when faced with evidence that the initial decision was flawed or is no longer optimal [1]. This bias stems from a deep-seated human desire to be, and to appear, consistent in their words and deeds. Once a person has made a commitment—whether it is a belief, a public statement, or an action—they will experience internal and external pressure to behave in a way that is consistent with that commitment.

The power of this bias is that the initial commitment does not need to be large. A classic example is the Foot-in-the-Door (FITD) technique, where a small, initial request (e.g., signing a petition or taking a free trial) is made, which is almost always accepted. This small commitment then makes the person significantly more likely to agree to a much larger, subsequent request (e.g., purchasing the full product) because they feel compelled to act consistently with their initial, small commitment [2]. Companies like Apple leverage this by offering free software updates and ecosystem integration, making the initial commitment to the brand a gateway to continued, consistent purchases.

The Commitment Bias is driven by several interconnected psychological mechanisms that compel individuals to maintain consistency in their behavior.

| Mechanism/Theory | Description | | :--- | :--- | | Cognitive Dissonance Reduction | Individuals experience psychological discomfort (dissonance) when their actions contradict their beliefs or past behavior. To reduce this dissonance, they rationalize their past commitment, often by changing their attitude toward the outcome, thus justifying the continued commitment [1]. | | Self-Perception Theory | People infer their attitudes and beliefs by observing their own behavior. By performing a small, initial action (a commitment), they perceive themselves as a certain type of person (e.g., a customer of this brand), which then influences them to perform larger, consistent actions [3]. | | Foot-in-the-Door (FITD) Technique | A compliance strategy where a small, initial request is made to gain a minor commitment. This is followed by a larger, target request. The initial commitment serves as a psychological anchor, making the larger request seem consistent with the person's self-image [2]. | | Low-Ball Technique | A strategy where a person commits to an action based on favorable terms, only for the unfavorable terms to be revealed after the commitment is made. The individual often sticks with the commitment because the decision to act has already been made, and the psychological pressure to remain consistent outweighs the new, negative information [4]. |

"If your organization requires success before commitment, it will never have either." — Seth Godin