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Small Quasi-Cash Rewards: A Field Experiment on Voluntary Plasma Donations

Author

Listed:
  • Stijn Bruers
  • Erwin Ooghe
  • Erik Schokkaert

Abstract

We conducted a large-scale and long lasting randomized field experiment at the donation centers of the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders to study the impact of a small extra reward for plasma donations. Donors normally receive one thank-you-coupon (worth €1.5) for a blood donation and two coupons for a plasma donation. Informing donors about these existing rewards increased plasma donations with on average 4.6% per month over a nine-month information period. Rewarding plasma donations with an extra thank-you-coupon increased plasma donations with an additional 7.1% per month over a six-month reward period. However, the extra reward for plasma decreased blood donations at donation centers with on average 3.3% per month over the reward period. Results of an additional representative survey show that a desire (i) to reciprocate the extra coupon and (ii) to respond to the extra coupon as a signal of higher needs are plausible prosocial motivations to explain the strong effect of a small extra quasi-cash reward. The survey results also suggest that our findings are not only relevant for plasma donations, but also for volunteering more generally.

Suggested Citation

  • Stijn Bruers & Erwin Ooghe & Erik Schokkaert, 2025. "Small Quasi-Cash Rewards: A Field Experiment on Voluntary Plasma Donations," CESifo Working Paper Series 11899, CESifo.
  • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11899
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    field experiment; plasma; quasi-cash; small rewards; prosocial behavior; volunteering;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • L30 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - General

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