The Uninvited Favor
A gift you never asked for still sends you a bill.
What it is
Someone does something for you that you didn’t ask for, then asks for something back. The urge to repay kicks in anyway. In a classic experiment, psychologist Dennis Regan had an assistant give people an unrequested soft drink. Later, those people bought about twice as many raffle tickets from him as people who got nothing, and among those who got the drink, how much they liked him made little difference.
Spot it
A “gift” pressed on you before you can refuse. Help you didn’t ask for, followed soon after by a request. Free samples handed over with eye contact and a pause.
Counter it
You owe nothing for something you didn’t agree to. Hand it back if you can: “No thanks, I’m all right.” If you can’t, say thanks and then judge the ask on its own. A forced gift is a sales tool, not a debt.