Is it a game? Evidence for social influence in the virtual world

Online virtual worlds promise an escape from mundane everyday environments and exempt users from the normal laws of time, space, and gravity. However, the laws of social influence may not be as easily dodged. In the virtual world of There.com we tested two robust real‐world compliance tactics (foot‐in‐the‐door, door‐in‐the‐face) with avatar "race" as a moderator. Results revealed success for both techniques, suggesting that avatars are sensitive to influence tactics targeting both self‐perception and reciprocity norms. Additionally, the race of the avatar requesting help impacted the success of the door‐in‐the‐face compliance technique, raising the specter that real‐world racial biases may also emerge in virtual environments.