The lowball technique is best described as what?

The lowball technique is best described as agreeing to an initial request followed by a larger request. This psychological strategy involves making an attractive offer to secure compliance, often at a low cost or with minimal commitment. Once the initial agreement is reached, the terms are then altered, typically to make the deal less favorable, which leads the individual to follow through with the larger commitment because they have already committed to the original request.

This technique relies on the principle of cognitive dissonance, where individuals strive to maintain consistency in their beliefs and actions. After initially agreeing to the lesser request, they are likely to feel compelled to agree to the larger request in order to justify their previous commitment. Hence, the lowball technique effectively increases compliance through the initial acceptance, even when the terms change unfavorably afterward.