scholarly journals Stylized and photographic eye images do not increase charitable donations in a field experiment

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-31
Author(s):  
Paul Lennon ◽  
Rachel Grant ◽  
V. Tamara Montrose
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Shape Control ◽  
Geometric Shape ◽  
Charitable Donations ◽  
Evil Eye ◽  
Honor System ◽  
Eye Imagery ◽  
Eye Of Horus

The effects of watching eyes upon prosocial behavior have been explored in various contexts, for example, in relation to charitable donations, honor-system payments and littering. Whilst studies have explored the effects of both photographic and stylized eyes upon prosocial behavior, no study, to our knowledge, has compared stylized eyes to photographic eyes. Here we explored the effects of stylized and photographic eye images upon prosocial behavior assessed via charitable donations in a ‘free cakes’ field experiment. Charitable giving was assessed under six eye image conditions, three stylized eye images (evil eye, eye of Horus, all-seeing eye), one photographic eye image (human eye image) and two control images (geometric shape control and blank control). No difference in the amount of money donated was found between any of the eye image conditions. These results suggest that watching eyes, whether stylized or photographic, are not effective at eliciting prosocial behavior via charitable giving. However, further study contrasting single and paired eye imagery, and exploration of the effects of stylized eye imagery in deterring littering and crime, would be beneficial.

scholarly journals The watching eyes effect on charitable donation is boosted by fewer people in the vicinity

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
Ryo Oda ◽  
Ryota Ichihashi
Keyword(s):  
Field Study ◽  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Charitable Donation ◽  
Charitable Donations ◽  
Large Groups

Previous field experiments have found that artificial surveillance cues facilitated prosocial behaviors such as charitable donations and littering. Several previous field studies found that the artificial surveillance cue effect was stronger when few individuals were in the vicinity; however, others reported that the effect was stronger in large groups of people. Here, we report the results of a field study examining the effect of an artificial surveillance cue (stylized eyes) on charitable giving. Three collection boxes were placed in different locations around an izakaya (a Japanese-style tavern) for 84 days. The amount donated was counted each experimental day, and the izakaya staff provided the number of patrons who visited each day. We found that the effect of the stylized eyes was more salient when fewer patrons were in the izakaya. Our findings suggest that the effect of the artificial surveillance cue is similar to that of “real” cues and that the effect on charitable giving may weaken when people habituate to being watched by “real” eyes. 

scholarly journals When Public Recognition Inhibits Prosocial Behavior: The Case of Charitable Giving

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 951-968
Author(s):  
Etienne Denis ◽  
Claude Pecheux ◽  
Luk Warlop
Keyword(s):  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Crowding Out ◽  
Social Approval ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Need For Approval ◽  
Public Recognition ◽  
Donation Behavior ◽  
The Way

Commonly regarded as an important driver of donation behavior, public recognition also can reduce donations. With three studies, this research manipulates whether donors receive public, private, imposed, or optional forms of recognition; the results show that the influence of recognition on the decision to donate is moderated by donors’ need for social approval. Whereas public recognition improves charitable giving among people with higher need for approval, imposing recognition reduces donations among people with lower need, suggesting a potential crowding-out effect on prior motives (Study 1). This penalty for public recognition disappears when the public recognition is optional (Study 2). When public recognition is saliently imposed (not requested), donation likelihood increases, suggesting that donors’ potential concerns about observers’ suspicion of their true motives is reduced (Study 3). This research highlights conditions in which public recognition encourages charitable giving and paves the way for further research on social dimensions of generosity.

scholarly journals Testing donation menus: on charitable giving for cancer research – evidence from a natural field experiment

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
MARIANNA BAGGIO ◽  
MATTEO MOTTERLINI
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Average Amount ◽  
Charitable Behavior ◽  
Natural Field Experiment ◽  
The Given

AbstractBehavioral economics research has helped with understanding charitable behavior and has shown that charities can encourage donations by carefully designing their pledges. However, there is still scope to extend current research on who gives, what drives the decision to donate and at what levels, especially when behavioral insights are applied in context. In cooperation with a major Italian charity for cancer research, this study implements a natural direct mail field experiment, with over 150,000 letters sent to donors. By exploring the behavioral responses to different donation anchors, evidence was found that, within the given framework, including donation menus significantly increased the average amount donated without affecting the likelihood of donation. Furthermore, introducing additional explanations of how to make a payment significantly increased overall returns. Lastly, individual heterogeneity (high- and low-frequency donors, as well as senior and junior donors) had a direct effect on donations.

scholarly journals Charity Begins at Home: A Lab-in-the-Field Experiment on Charitable Giving

Games ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Eckel ◽  
Benjamin Priday ◽  
Rick Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Fire Department ◽  
Dictator Game ◽  
Charitable Organizations ◽  
Fixed Amount ◽  
Local Organizations ◽  
The Gift ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Different Levels

Charities operate at different levels: national, state, or local. We test the effect of the level of the organization on charitable giving in a sample of adults in two Texas communities. Subjects make four charitable giving “dictator game” decisions from a fixed amount of money provided by the experimenter. Three decisions target different charitable organizations, all of which have a disaster-relief mission, but differ in the level of operation. The fourth targets an individual recipient, identified by the local fire department as a victim of a fire. One of the four is selected randomly for payment. Giving is significantly higher to national and local organizations compared to state. We find a higher propensity to donate and larger amount donated to the individual relative to all organizations. Subsequent analysis compares a number of demographic and attitudinal covariates with donations to specific charities. In a second decision, subjects instead indicate which of their four prior decisions they would most prefer to implement. Here we see that a majority of subjects prefer the gift to the individual.

scholarly journals Announcements of Support and Public Good Provision

2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (12) ◽  
pp. 3760-3787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judd B. Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Public Goods ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Public Good ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Public Good Provision ◽  
Scale Field ◽  
Large Scale Field ◽  
Good Provision

Providing information about contributions to public goods is known to generate further contributions. However, it is often impossible to provide verifiable information on contributions. Through a large-scale field experiment and a series of laboratory experiments, I show that nonbinding announcements of support for a public good encourage others to contribute, even when actual contributions might not or cannot be made. Providing a way to easily announce support for a charity increases donations by $865 per workplace fundraising campaign (or 16 percent of average giving). I discuss implications for understanding prosocial behavior and for organizations aiming to increase contributions to public goods. (JEL C93, D64, D83, H41, L31)

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document