Research: Asking Questions is More Persuasive Than Making Statements
New research suggests that posing questions can increase people's willingness to agree with ideas and reduce defensiveness compared to presenting statements.
A study published in Social Influence indicates that asking questions rather than providing answers can help overcome people's defensiveness and make them more likely to agree with a proposition.
The research, dubbed the "question-behavior effect," suggests a shift in persuasive strategy: move from making declarative statements to posing interrogative ones.
According to the article, this method works because asking questions allows the other person to generate their own reasons and develop their own stance. Instead of receiving a premise and reasoning from the asker, the individual constructs it themselves, leading to potentially stronger buy-in.
An example provided involves an individual stating a goal, like running a marathon. Asking them about the likelihood of achieving it, as opposed to simply acknowledging the goal, has been shown to increase their commitment.
This approach leverages the self-persuasion effect, where individuals are more committed to conclusions they reach through their own cognitive processes, making the influence more deeply ingrained.