Scarcity Principle

Definition

According to the scarcity principle, objects become more attractive when there are not very many of them. This scarcity may be either real or imagined. People assume that because others appear to want something, and it is in short supply, it must be valuable. In a classic demonstration of the scarcity principle, students were divided into two groups. One group was asked to choose a cookie from a jar with two cookies. The other group was asked to choose a cookie from a jar that contained ten cookies. Consistent with the scarcity principle, students who chose from the jar with two cookies (scarce condition) rated the cookies as more desirable than students who chose from the jar with ten cookies (plentiful condition).

Importance of Topic

Imagine the following scenario, which illustrates several strategic compliance techniques, most notably the scarcity principle. A family's dinner is interrupted by a knock on the door. The father, Fred, answered the door to find an older gentleman, Al, who was holding a bundle of sketches. Al greeted Fred and told him of a great opportunity. For the low, low price of $249, Al would sketch a portrait of Fred's house. By this time, Fred's wife, Mary, had come outside with their two young sons. The man quickly commented on how cute the boys were and proceeded with his pitch. “This type of sketch normally costs $700,” he informed the couple. Knowing the perils of making quick, emotional decisions, Fred asked Al for his phone number to call him back after discussing his offer. Al quickly replied, “I can't really come back because of time constraints. I do all the sketches and all the doorto-door contacting, so it's simply not efficient for me to return. I really need to know tonight.” Mary remarked that she really wanted to have a portrait of their house in the living room and Fred reluctantly agreed. They discussed it briefly and told Al they'd give him $200. Al countered with $225 and no sales tax, and they agreed on a deal. Fred and Mary thought, “Wow, did we ever get a bargain: from $700 to $249 to $225 without sales tax! We had saved nearly $500!”

It was only after Fred and Mary sat down later that evening that they realized Al was indeed an artist: both [Page 780]a sketch artist and a master in the art of persuasion! Maybe, instead of saving money, they unexpectedly spent $225 more than they planned to at the outset of the evening. Al had skillfully employed a number of compliance techniques, particularly in his use of the scarcity principle. By telling the couple they had to decide immediately, Al created the illusion that this opportunity would not be available again. Notice how Al did not even respond to their question of whether they could call him. If he had, the sketch would no longer be scarce. By creating the false impression that they had to decide now, Al invoked the scarcity principle, a powerful weapon of social influence.

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