This study placed psychological reactance in the center of compliance gaining process in online context. The experiment examined how internet users responded to different levels of persuasion and guilt appeals in pop-up requests. The influence of guilt and affiliation and was hypothesized to reduce aroused reactance. Indirect effect of reactance on compliance and user retention was investigated. Findings supported the role of reactance in the hypothesized model, but found the interaction effect of guilt to be not significant. Data confirmed the suppression effect of need for affiliation to psychological reactance. The research finding extend theoretical insights on reactance-reducing features, and provide implications for reducing reactance in compliance with requests.

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