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Do I care if you are paid? A field experiment on charitable donations

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  • Gneezy, Uri
  • Rau, Holger
  • Samek, Anya
  • Zhurakhovska, Lilia

Abstract

This study investigates how information on solicitors' compensation affects charitable giving in a door-to-door field experiment with more than 2,800 households. We vary whether solicitors are paid or not and the information about this compensation that potential donors receive. Relative to the treatment in which potential donors are not informed about the solicitor's compensation, donations increase by 16% when potential donors are informed that solicitors are paid, but are not effected when donors are informed that solicitors are unpaid. The effect is driven by female donors, who increase their donations by 88%. Our findings suggest that if charities pay their solicitors, it could be beneficial to communicate this information to donors.

Suggested Citation

  • Gneezy, Uri & Rau, Holger & Samek, Anya & Zhurakhovska, Lilia, 2017. "Do I care if you are paid? A field experiment on charitable donations," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 307, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:cegedp:307
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

    charitable giving; field experiment; information;
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