Task importance, feasibility, and agent influence behavior as determinantsof target commitment

Two content factors (issue importance and feasibility) were manipulated for agents in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment using a role-play exercise with 364 students in management courses. A path analysis provided support for the c ausal model, which specifies that agent perception of importance and feasib ility affect the agent's influence behavior, which affects the target's per ception of importance and feasibility, which affects the outcome of the inf luence attempt (target commitment to carry out the request). The study prov ides the first evidence that different forms of rational persuasion have in dependent effects and that target perception of issue importance and feasib ility mediate the effect of agent influence behavior on target commitment.