TASK
1250 words
Background: Many factors may influence if we comply with a request from another person, whether it is to donate money to a charity or vote for a particular political party. This essay topic falls within the field of social psychology and after reading research findings on compliance and persuasion compliance (for example), you will discover the factors that predict whether we are likely to comply with a request from someone.
Scenario: Agnieszka is a 22-year-old female who does not eat meat or animal products, only listens to hardcore punk music and is currently studying law at Macquarie University. While in Cooltown to visit a friend, Agnieszka is approached by Piotrek, a 70-year-old male, who eats meat everyday and only listens to classical music. Piotrek is standing outside Cooltown Station, collecting signatures for a petition to keep government funding for a local radio station that has a small audience and plays classical music.
Before asking Agnieszka to sign the petition, Piotrek engages Agnieszka in a polite and very friendly conversation, starting with “Hello, how are you?” and asking what shes doing in Cooltown today, where she was born and whether shes working and/or studying at the moment. It is revealed in the conversation that: Agnieszka and Piotrek both love soccer (but are big fans of rival teams), were raised in very different environments (city vs country, respectively) and both have a very similar surname.
Essay question: Based on the information presented in the scenario , do you think Agnieszka will sign the petition? In your response, list at least three reasons as to why you think Agnieszka will OR will not sign the petition and provide research findings as evidence to support each reason.
