The Effects of Altercasting and Counterattitudinal Behavior on Compliance: A Lost Letter Technique Investigation

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.

Keywords:

• Altercasting
• Compliance
• Milgram

Notes

Note. ‘Pro’ and ‘Counter’ refer to proattitudinal and counterattitudinal groups to which behavior advocated in the compliance-gaining message. Return time was assessed in days; smaller values indicate that letters were returned faster. Four hundred letters were distributed in each condition.

Logistical regression revealed no effects for source on compliance rates.

As an additional testament of the ecological validity of the study, the FBI visited the home of one of the authors of the study (who foolishly put his/her home address on the envelopes). The FBI agents informed the author that several people who found letters under their windshields were complaining about Communist Party activity in the area and contacted both local and federal authorities to investigate. The author apologized and produced the appropriate IRB forms to demonstrate that the letters were part of an ongoing study. Relevant to ecological validity concerns, the FBI agents admitted that none of the concerned citizens noted suspicions of being part of a research study in their complaints.

Only 10 letters were tampered with, almost exclusively the letters addressed to the Communist Party, regardless of message type. Such a low number made meaningful statistical analysis impossible. Interestingly, some of the tampered letters were still mailed, but included letters denouncing Communism.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Monique Mitchell Turner

Monique Mitchell Turner is an Associate Professor at University of Maryland at College Park.

John A. Banas

John A. Banas is an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma.

Stephen A. Rains

Stephen A. Rains is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona.

SuAhn Jang

SuAhn Jang is an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri at St. Louis.

Jessica L. Moore

Jessica L. Moore is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University.

Dan Morrison

Dan Morrison is Adjunct Faculty at the University of Oregon.