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Ambiguity and Excuse-Driven Behavior in Charitable Giving

Author

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  • Garcia, Thomas

    (GATE, University of Lyon)

  • Massoni, Sebastien

    (University of Lorraine)

  • Villeval, Marie Claire

    (CNRS, GATE)

Abstract

A donation may have ambiguous costs or ambiguous benefits. Behavior in a laboratory experiment suggests that individuals use this ambiguity strategically as a moral wiggle room to act less generously without feeling guilty. Such excuse-driven behavior is more pronounced when the costs of a donation – rather than its benefits – are ambiguous. However, the importance of excuse-driven behavior is comparable under ambiguity and under risk. Individuals exploit any type of uncertainty as an excuse not to give, regardless of the nature of this uncertainty.

Suggested Citation

  • Garcia, Thomas & Massoni, Sebastien & Villeval, Marie Claire, 2019. "Ambiguity and Excuse-Driven Behavior in Charitable Giving," IZA Discussion Papers 12869, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12869
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    3. Christine L. Exley & Judd B. Kessler, 2019. "Motivated Errors," NBER Working Papers 26595, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    21. Brañas-Garza, Pablo & Kovářík, Jaromír & Lopez-Martin, Maria del Carmen, 2020. "No moral wiggles in e5 and e1,000 dictator games under ambiguity," MPRA Paper 98132, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ambiguity; excuse-driven behavior; social preferences; charitable giving; experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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