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Factors Influencing Attraction IV: Reciprocity01:28

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Reciprocity in attraction is fundamental to social and romantic relationships, shaping how individuals form and maintain connections. The psychological principle underlying this phenomenon is that people tend to like those who express liking toward them. Balance theory supports this tendency, suggesting that mutual attraction fosters psychological harmony, whereas one-sided affection leads to discomfort and cognitive dissonance.The Psychological Mechanisms Behind ReciprocityWhen individuals...
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The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
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'Three is better than two': Increasing donations with the attraction effect.

Andrea Pittarello1, Marta Caserotti2, Enrico Rubaltelli2

  • 1Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

British Journal of Psychology (London, England : 1953)
|October 17, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Adding a decoy option to donation appeals increases charitable giving. This strategy makes the target donation seem more beneficial and is effective even with unclear choices or flexible contribution amounts.

Keywords:
attractionbenefitscostsdecoydonations

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Economics
  • Social Psychology
  • Charitable Giving Research

Background:

  • Understanding factors influencing prosocial behavior is crucial for effective charitable fundraising.
  • Decision-making in the context of charitable donations can be influenced by the presentation of options.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the attraction effect in the context of helping behavior and charitable donations.
  • To determine the boundary conditions under which the attraction effect influences donation choices.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted five experiments with a total of 2,503 participants.
  • Participants chose between two or three donation appeals, with a decoy option included in the three-alternative set.
  • Varied conditions such as attribute clarity, donation structure, and contribution flexibility.

Main Results:

  • The presence of a decoy significantly increased the selection of the target (most beneficial) donation appeal.
  • Participants perceived the target alternative as more beneficial and less costly when a decoy was present.
  • These findings remained robust across various conditions, including unclear attribute ratings and flexible donation amounts.

Conclusions:

  • The attraction effect, a well-documented cognitive bias, can be effectively leveraged to increase charitable giving.
  • Charities can implement the strategic use of decoy options at no cost to enhance donation appeal effectiveness.
  • This research provides practical strategies for non-profits to boost contributions and perceived impact.