The question–behavior effect: What we know and where we go from here

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Researchers have consistently shown that questioning people about a future behavior influences the subsequent performance of that behavior. Since its first demonstration by Sherman ( 1980 Sherman, S. J. 1980. On the self‐erasing nature of errors of prediction.. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(August): 211–221. [Google Scholar] ), two groups of researchers have built parallel streams of research investigating the self‐prophecy and mere‐measurement phenomenon. Both sets of scholars have clearly demonstrated the importance of questioning as a social influence technique and have shed light on at least two of the theoretical processes underlying observed effects. In the current paper, these researchers formally adopt a common label—the question–behavior effect—for these and similar effects. After providing a review of prior work in the area, the authors detail directions for future researchers interested in joining the investigation of this unique and persuasive form of social influence.