The commitment/consistency principle for compliance implies that people act in ways consistent with their previous behavior. Cialdini and Sagarin (2005) have stated that, according to this principle, asking individuals questions to which they would be expected to say “yes” could be associated with achieving greater compliance with a subsequent request. However, this procedure, referred to as the four walls technique, has never been tested experimentally. In this study, we conducted an experiment in which participants were first asked to answer several questions that required “yes” or “no” responses. Then, the participants were asked to comply with an additional request. It was found that saying “yes” several times beforehand is associated with greater compliance with a subsequent request than is saying “no” beforehand or when no first request was made.

https://www.sbp-journal.com/index.php/sbp/article/view/2542

The “four walls” consist of statements that you must make to yourself at least four times a day – but more often when the need arises.  When you make these statements, you may do so in thoughts only, speaking soundlessly within.  Or you may, if you are alone, say them in a low tone.  Which ever you choose, you must make the statements slowly, firmly and with authority.  Stress the words that are underlined in the statements.  Speak the statements as though you were speaking to somebody else – actually you will be speaking to your subconscious mind, giving it knowledge and direction.

Four times a day say the “four walls” in their correct order (for they are progressive and will lead up to the “roof” of your desires).  Bear in mind that you must say them slowly, firmly and with authority.  When you have finished saying the “four walls”, add the “roof” by stating what your desires are.  It will not matter if, having begun, you change these desires after a few days or weeks.  Other ideas may and should unfold – as well as plans and opportunities in connection with your desires.  This will happen – it cannot possibly fail to happen.  Provided you use the “four walls” as described here, ideas, plans and opportunities will come with absolute certainty to you, because your subconscious mind will be using its power as you have directed it to do.

http://thought-bricks.com/booklets-2/walls-roof/

Dear  Qasim Mohammed Hussein,

Learn the types of people is easier than for each individual. And the needs of the people of one type group are practically identical.

There are many different typologies. For example, classical psychology divide people by type of temperaments: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic. However, to build arguments, focusing on the fact whether the other person choleric or melancholic - is how to shoot a gun on sparrows. We need weapons smaller and more precisely. This can offer the following typology of interlocutors:

Confident, or inflexible

Indecisive, or fleeing

Aggressive or striker

Indifferent or supine

Of course, the type of interlocutors is actually much more. However, they are only subtypes of the above categories. Once you determine what type of your partner - and you will know how to build their case.

Confident interlocutor always knows what he wants.

The secret lies in the fact that the self-confidence - a quality that can be both a great strength and a major weakness. It forces it becomes because we are confident we can move mountains. The weakness of it is when confidence turns into self-confidence. Self-confident person is fairly easy to manage.

If a person on the first confidence - gently slide it into the background, and on the first pull out the identity of the interlocutor, his self. This is done easily with the help of the widespread acceptance "To take the weak." This is the manipulation of a confident person. He is sure of himself - and he made it clear that he can doubt. Then, instead of confidence, which is based on an objective assessment of their capabilities, at the forefront "I". Man ceases to objectively assess the situation. and loses control over it. Thus, if you are dealing with a confident person, show him that

doubt his best. It will become overconfident and starts to prove to you (but mainly - himself) that he can do everything. In this "everything" including will go and what you want from him.

Best regards, Shafagat

The commitment/consistency principle for compliance implies that people act in ways consistent with their previous behavior. Cialdini and Sagarin (2005) have stated that, according to this principle, asking individuals questions to which they would be expected to say “yes” could be associated with achieving greater compliance with a subsequent request. However, this procedure, referred to as the four walls technique, has never been tested experimentally. In this study, we conducted an experiment in which participants were first asked to answer several questions that required “yes” or “no” responses. Then, the participants were asked to comply with an additional request. It was found that saying “yes” several times beforehand is associated with greater compliance with a subsequent request than is saying “no” beforehand or when no first request was made.

https://www.sbp-journal.com/index.php/sbp/article/view/2542

Dear @Subhash has brought a fine article to this thread, but PDF version is not possible to download (membership&payment). I have found the same article at ResearchGate free to download.

Article Repeating “Yes” in a First Request and Compliance with a Lat...

Most interestingly  what I feel with four walls technique is to talk to yourself and  your soul  , implement to others before you are convinced based on request and compliance  .It is purely not my area of expertise friends.

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

This is a Synopsis of a very interesting  book entitled:

"The Power of Persuasion: How We're Bought and Sold

                              By Robert Levine

There's a sucker born every minute-don't let it be you! Learn how to ward off even the best predators with the secrets revealed in The Power of Persuasion When it comes to persuasion, there are three universal truths: You're more susceptible to it than you think; The most effective persuaders are the least obvious; and Whether they're selling cars or religion, professional persuaders all follow the same principles of psychology. Stop falling prey to their ploys. The Power of Persuasion looks behind the curtain of shilling and pitch to reveal the many methods of seduction used to pull your strings and push your buttons every day. Drawing heavily on empirical psychological evidence as well as real-world investigations and anecdotes, The Power of Persuasion arms you with the knowledge to fend off such common manipulation tactics as: Limited time offers: "Act fast because this fabulous opportunity won't come around again!" The "Four Walls" technique: A series of carefully worded questions makes you realize that you have no good reason for not purchasing the product "Bait-and-switch": A salesman quotes a price on a car missing an important feature, then finds a more suitable car at a higher price."

It might be easy to persuade people into something of dubious benefit by bait and switch techniques. This said for the long term character will take the ultimate battle and only by offering service and truth can a return continuing sale occur. One of our biggest issues is opening ourselves to short term benefit at long term cost. Rather than looking at what is in it for me the better strategy is how can I help the customer.

Many persons can be persuaded easily to buy products they do not need or to donate money to a cause they have never heard of by persons who are equipped with a special power of persuasion. This power is learnt by ,e.g. those who design advertisements to convince you & me to buy something or to become convinced of something. Having knowledge of this can help a person in not getting manipulated or exploited.

I am sure that you saw advertisements that talk about a "fantastic" opportunity as a limited time offer or those that talk about "unmatched" price of a certain commodity. In many cases, the ordinary simple persons become prey in front of these baits.

Another way to lure the people is the "Four Walls" technique ( which is a series of carefully phrased questions that make you or me realize that we have no good reason for not purchasing a product). For example, the salesman may ask: 1) Do you know how many customers have bought this object ? 2) Do you know how many celebrities are using this product regularly ? 3) Are you aware of how much benefit this article will bring to your work & family ? … etc.  This technique aims at cornering a person until there is no escape from buying it.

Well, some "professional" politicians know about this since some of them have the motto: Lie & repeat the lie several times until the masses have no choice except believing this lie!  Remember the lie about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction which was told many times, but eventually nothing was found.

Dear All

It is really a very interesting discussion. Though I was not aware of the term but the question, as well as the answers, seem dragging me into the 'four walls' of the debate and its lessons.

With regards

Israr

Dear Quasim

In our place we say the for methods are

Saama: Explain to them why they have to..

Daana: Offer incentives

BhEda: Threaten

DaNTa: Use force.

None will scale the fourth wall (if they scale it, it means you are inefficient and incapable. Whether they scale the others too depend on their ability

Narayanan

If we need to use threat and force have we won nothing.

Actually, the question should be "Influence People - How to successfully convince someone to change the procedure? How to convince that he wanted such a change?"

  "Influence People" book by Robert Cialdini, a magnificent example of that is childishly simple task. It is a source of knowledge about the hard facts about the art of persuasion.

Despite the big brains we are still herd animals. We do something so because others do it. Śmiecimy and devastating, we can help and hurt, we buy and sell, give and take, if this is us comfortable. In the crowd we feel at ease. Cialdini calls this the principle of "social proof". To ensure it does not always, but often. In some cases, the rules carrot and stick, the promised rewards and possible penalties.

There are still many other ways, but I recommend a look at the contents of the book.

Four balls method is widely used for testing the tribological behaviours of the materials particilarly lubricant. It is an accelarated laboratory testing method. Through comparative studies of tribological properties, people can be convinced.

R. K. Pandey

Dear Qasim Mohammed Hussein,

Learn the types of people is easier than for each individual. And the needs of the people of one type group is almost identical.

There are many different typologies. For example, classical psychology divides people on the type of temperaments: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic. However, to build arguments, focusing on the fact whether your interlocutor choleric or melancholic - it's like to shoot out of a cannon on the wheel. We need weapons smaller and more precisely. This can offer the following typology of interlocutors:

Of course, the type of interlocutors is actually much more. However, they are only subtypes categories above. Once you determine what type of your partner - and you will know how to build their case.

Regards, Shafagat

Dear @R. K. Pandey, as an engineer I do understand your answer. But we do speak here about 4 walls method, not 4 balls!

Best, Ljubomir