Exploring the “That's-Not-All” Effect: A Test of Theoretical Explanations

The “that's-not-all” (TNA) technique is a sequential request strategy in which an offer is improved before the message receiver responds. Although the TNA procedure has been the subject of several experiments, the theoretical mechanisms responsible for TNA effects are unclear. An experiment, utilizing a 3 (Request type: large TNA, moderate TNA, control) × 2 (Requester: prosocial, commercial organization) independent groups design, was conducted to investigate the moderators of the TNA effect. Three theoretical explanations were tested: perceptual contrast, reciprocal concessions, and social responsibility. The compliance rates were consistent with the traditional perceptual contrast and social responsibility explanations; however, the perceptual data were only consistent with social responsibility. The results have practical significance to people wishing to employ the TNA technique.