Simply asking “Hey, how likely are you to buy this?” raises the odds someone actually WILL.

In behavioral psychology, the mere-measurement effect describes how measuring a person’s intention influences their subsequent behavior.

When people are asked about their purchase intentions, they tend to then act more in line with those intentions. 

In a classic field study, consumers were asked “How likely are you to purchase a new car?”

Later, those who answered the question (whether yes or no) were more likely to go on and buy one, compared to a control group.

Researchers argue that simply asking a question focuses mental attention on the potential purchase and increases commitment.

That means those little micro-intention surveys you slip into your flows like “Would you try this product?” or, “On a scale of 1–10, how likely?” can result in more than data-driven insights.

They turn into gentle nudges that shape perception and plant seeds of commitment.

As a product maker, embed these intention questions:

In marketing emails, sign-up flows, prototypes, or onboarding. Use them not merely to collect feedback, but to surface internal momentum.

Then compare not just click or conversion metrics, but how closely real behavior aligns with those self-reported intentions. If you spot paths where people deviate, that’s where friction or misalignment lives.

Sometimes, the simplest question is also the simplest lever.

Want to make your product irresistible? That’s what we do as product marketing consultants at Graphos Product, helping innovators turn need-driven ideas into market-ready successes.