Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition

154 Reciprocity

The tendency for people to give back to those who have given to them.

Reciprocity is a tendency to respond to kindness with kindness and cruelty with cruelty. It is an instinctive behavior deeply rooted in our evolutionary past; it lies at the heart of social behaviors such as cooperation, sharing, and trade. As such, reciprocity occurs across cultures, though the rules and traditions governing ceremony, equality of the exchange, and repayment vary. In most design contexts, it involves offering a small gift, gesture, or concession to elicit a desired, targeted response such as donating to a cause or purchasing a product. For example, a nonprofit organization sending mailouts that contain useful, personalized gifts — such as ...