The Power of Persistence: Understanding Commitment and Consistency Bias

Prejudice is a cognitive bias that causes people to try to behave in ways consistent with what they have already said or done. People tend to act in a way that is consistent with their commitments after they commit to anything, whether it’s an opinion, an action, or a choice. The desire to appear reliable, avoid cognitive dissonance, and maintain self-image drives this behaviour.

Key Characteristics

• Commitment

When people decide on a stance, they are more inclined to follow through with actions that support it.

Humans tend to rationalise and justify their actions or decisions to maintain consistency, which they value internally.

Evidence

• Product Promotion

A salesman may try to win you with a low-priced product or a trial membership as an introductory offer. Once you’ve committed to this initial step, making a more significant purchase later on is more likely since you want to stay consistent with your initial decision.

Scenario: You decide to try out a streaming service for free. After a month, you feel obligated to maintain the membership, even if you rarely use it, because you have put in the effort.

• Public declarations

People are more likely to accomplish their fitness challenges and New Year’s resolutions when they make public commitments to them on social media. Consistency is more important because the proclamation is public.

Scenario: imagine you announce on Facebook that you’re training for a marathon in six months. Because you have publicly committed to your strategy and do not want to appear inconsistent, you are likelier to adhere to it, even on tough training days.

• Charitable donations

A charity has a better chance of effectively soliciting a gift if it first asks you to sign a petition, which is a minor commitment. By signing the petition, you have demonstrated your concern for the cause; by donating, you can maintain your support.

Scenario: Suppose you’re willing to make a modest contribution to a worthy cause. Because you’ve already shown your support, you feel forced to contribute more when the same organisation requests a more significant contribution.

• Workplace behaviour

When they commit to doing so publicly, workers are likelier to put in extra effort to complete assigned tasks. They do this to ensure consistency in their public statements.

Scenario: Let’s say you and your teammates agreed upon a deadline for a report during a recent team meeting. Despite obstacles, you will still meet the deadline to keep your original promise.

• Consumer behaviour and brand loyalty.

Customers are likelier to remain loyal to a brand even after experiencing a slight disappointment if they have actively supported it (by wearing branded items or submitting a positive review, for example).

Scenario: You buy and brag about a brand-name smartphone to everyone you know. After supporting the brand, you’re more likely to keep using the phone and defend your choice if it breaks.

The significance

• In decision-making

Because of this bias, people may continue along a path when fresh information indicates they ought to change course.

• In marketing and sales

Companies leverage this bias to build long-term customer relationships by securing small initial commitments.

• In personal growth

By capitalising on the desire for consistency, individuals can attain their goals by making promises—particularly public ones.

Conclusion

Commitment and consistency bias is a psychological concept that impacts our actions and decisions. Awareness of this bias may help us see when we are clinging to promises that aren’t benefiting us and can also assist marketers, companies, and individuals in proactively encouraging loyalty and motivating action.