Intervening to promote pay-it-forward behavior: Does perceived self-motivation of the benefactor matter?

Pay-it-forward behavior reflects actively caring for people (AC4P) and the reciprocity principle. Interventions to increase the frequency of pay-it-forward behavior were evaluated. At a buffet-style dining hall, a research assistant (RA) entered the line and paid for the next person's meal. In the Sign Intervention Phase, the RA discreetly paid for the next person's meal. In the Verbal + Sign Intervention Phase, the RA verbally activated reciprocity and paid for the next diner's meal. For Baseline and Withdrawal, a sign prompted the purchase of another person's meal. The Verbal + Sign Intervention was significantly more effective at activating pay-it-forward behavior (24.6% of 171) than the Sign Intervention (15.6% of 122), Baseline (6.8% of 148), and Withdrawal (12.6% of 95). These results were contrary to the research hypothesis that verbal and sign prompting would decrease perceived self-motivation of the benefactor and thereby reduce the beneficiary's perceived obligation to pay it forward.