For me, the real-world applications of psychology are what really stick. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the information I learned in the social psychology segment of this course on persuasion techniques (foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face, and lowballing) will probably be forever engrained in my memory. The information I learned about these techniques will allow me to recognize them when they are utilized by people in my life in the future, and will make me more able to resist.
For example, when someone asks me to do a small favor for them and later successively requests favors of increasing magnitude, I will recognize the foot-in-the-door technique and only continue to honor their requests if I sincerely wish to do so. As another example, I will be very careful to not fall into the lowballing trap of sleazy car salesmen when I save up enough money to purchase my future Smart Car. "No, Mr. Waxyhair, I'm not willing to pay $3,000 extra dollars for the iPod dock."
Conversely, if I need something from someone, I may be so inclined to practice the door-in-the-face technique myself. Perhaps this will work with respect to my study abroad wishes; maybe first asking my parents to fund a 10-day $5,000 trip to the Galapagos before downsizing to a $3,500 6-week trip to Argentina could be a good strategy.
image from: http://gandalwaven.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/doorinface_1.jpg
Or you could turn that door-in-the-face technique around and ask your parents to fund the 6-week Argentina trip FIRST and then, once they get used to the idea of that much money, bump it up to the 10-day Galapagos trip - a $1,500 addition won't seem so shocking (turn it into foot-in-the-door technique - start with the $3,500 favor and then go for the $5,000 one!).... this is all assuming that you might prefer the Galapagos trip over Argentina, haha...