The effects of two sequential-request strategies on teachers' acceptability and use of a classroom intervention

This study examined the effects of two sequential-request strategies - foot-in-the-door (FITD) and door-in-the-face (DITF)-on teachers' ratings of treatment acceptability and implementation of a classroom intervention. Sixty-one teachers were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental conditions in which they complied with a small initial request, failed to comply with a large initial request, or received no initial request. Teachers then rated the acceptability of a classroom intervention that they were asked to implement for 1 hr on each of 2 consecutive school days. Results showed the mean acceptability ratings for the DITF condition to be significantly lower than the control condition, but neither differed significantly from the FITD condition. Fewer teachers in the DITF condition implemented the intervention than controls. The implications of these results for applying social influence strategies to school consultation are discussed.