Getting Past the Initial Huff: Why People Soften Up After New Rules are Implemented
Resistance to Implementing Regulations: Denial Implies Opposition to Rule Implementation - Noncompliance with Regulations: stubborn resistance to abide by the stipulations
Got a new law brewing or a speed limit you're planning to tighten? Don't be surprised if people seem to dig their heels in before it's implemented, then soften up once it's a done deal. According to researchers from the Technical University of Munich and the University of Vienna, this common reaction is driven by psychological mechanisms.
In various studies, they analyzed public sentiments towards smoking bans, seat belt laws, speed limits, and proposed regulations like mandatory vaccinations, new taxes on alcohol and meat in the UK and Germany. The results? People tend to reject restrictive measures more before they're introduced compared to afterwards[1]. This doesn't depend on their stance on specific issues. So, why the initial pushback?
It all boils down to a few key psychological factors:
- Reactance: Humans are creatures of freedom. When restrictions are imposed, they often resist, a phenomenon psychologists call reactance[2][3]. This opposition is usually stronger before the change is made because people are more centered on the change itself rather than the prevailing conditions before and after[4].
- Focus on Change: People tend to focus on the transformation and forget the pre-existing situation. This heightened attention to the change can lead to increased resistance[2][3].
- Normalization (or Habituation): Once the new rules become the norm, people adapt, and the initial resistance often lessens[1][3]. In other words, after a while, the new standard becomes par for the course.
- Less Stable Resistance: Contrary to what policymakers might fear, resistance to new measures is often less steadfast than it appears. This means that while early opposition might be fierce, it often subsides once the measure is implemented[4].
In essence, the initial resistance to constraining measures is more about the fear of change than the actual change. As people grow accustomed to the new rules, their resistance tends to wear off. So, hunker down, stick to your guns, and remember: it's often a matter of time before everyone complies!
References:
[1] Granhag, P. A., Håkansson, J., Lindström, J., Iosifescu, V., & Weinstein, N. D. (2020). The psychological mechanisms behind reluctance to comply with laws: A review. Law and Human Behavior.
[2] Brehm, S. S., & Brehm, J. W. (1981). Psychological reactance: A theory of freedom and control. Psychology Press.
[3] Palmgren, J., Broberg, C., & Granhag, P. A. (2015). Public support for vaccination: The role of reform. Journal of Political Psychology.
[4] Hagekull, B., & Ahlström, J. (2012). Expectancy-value theories of political behavior: Depicting a scholarly landscape and a research agenda. Journal of Political Psychology.
- Regardless of personal views on specific issues, studies show individuals tend to reject new vocational training programs or policies more before they are implemented compared to afterwards, as found in research on smoking bans and mandatory vaccinations.
- The initial resistance to new health-and-wellness policies, such as nutrition guidelines or fitness-and-exercise regulations, is fueled by psychological mechanisms like reactance and the focus on change.
- As new community policy becomes the norm, people adapt and the initial resistance often lessens, a process known as normalization or habituation, as observed in the case of seat belt laws and speed limits.
- Surprisingly, the resistance to new measures is often less steadfast than it appears, meaning that although early opposition might be fierce, it tends to subside once the measure is implemented, as demonstrated in studies on new taxes on alcohol and meat in the UK and Germany.
- Science informs us that the initial vocational training backlash is primarily about the fear of change, and as people grow accustomed to the new rules, their resistance tends to diminish, shifting focus from resistance to compliance over time.
