The "door-in-the-face" technique is a persuasive strategy used in negotiation and influence. It involves making a large request that is likely to be rejected, followed by a smaller, more reasonable request. The idea is that after refusing the first request, the person may feel more inclined to agree to the second one. This method relies on the principle of reciprocity, where the person feels a sense of obligation to comply after rejecting the initial request. It is commonly used in various fields, including sales, psychology, and social influence, to increase the likelihood of obtaining a desired outcome.