Reciprocation Tendency
The automatic disposition to repay favors and disfavors in kind. It underwrites human cooperation, but becomes a vulnerability when exploited — small concessions or gifts can extract disproportionately large returns. One of Charlie Munger’s 25 causes of human misjudgment.
Examples
- Feeling obligated to buy after accepting a free sample
- The “reject-then-retreat” sales tactic: an extreme ask, then a “concession” you feel bound to match
- Returning a hostile act with escalation, fueling feuds
Why It Happens
Reciprocity is a deeply ingrained social contract that made group cooperation possible. The felt obligation to repay fires automatically, often before conscious evaluation of whether the exchange is fair.
How to Counteract
- Recognize unsolicited favors and concessions as potential influence tactics
- Judge the request on its merits, not on the debt you feel
- Redefine a manipulative “gift” as a sales move rather than a genuine favor