Payment Choice, Image Motivation and Contributions to Charity: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Adriaan Soetevent

American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2011, vol. 3, issue 1, 180-205

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of payment choice on charitable giving with a door-to-door fund-raising field experiment. Respondents can donate cash only, use debit only, or have both options. Cash donations have lower visibility vis-à-vis solicitors than debit card donations. When debit replaces cash, participation drops by 87 percent. Conditional on participation, donors in the Debit-only treatment give more than donors in Cash-only. In Cash&Debit, almost all donors prefer cash; participation decreases compared to Cash-only. Physical attractiveness of both female and male solicitors increases contributions. Solicitor self-confidence has a negative impact. (JEL D14, D64, L31)

JEL-codes: D14 D64 L31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
Note: DOI: 10.1257/pol.3.1.180
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (51)

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Working Paper: Payment Choice, Image Motivation and Contributions to Charity: Evidence from a Field Experiment (2025)
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