TY - JOUR

T1 - Pledges and how social influence shapes their effectiveness

AU - Koessler, Ann Kathrin

N1 - Funding Information: Funding for this research was provided by the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation in the framework of the Alexander von Humboldt-Professorship of Prof. Stefanie Engel.

PY - 2022/6

Y1 - 2022/6

N2 - Pledges are used to signal the intention to act in a socially desirable way. In this study, we examine what role social influence plays in the decision to pledge. In a laboratory experiment, subjects can make a pledge to contribute to a public good in the socially optimal way. Across treatment conditions, we vary the way in which the pledges are elicited. Hence, the degree of social influence on pledge-making is manipulated and its impact can be examined. We find that when individuals are aware that the majority of other subjects decided to pledge, they are likely to conform and also make the pledge. The emergence of such a critical mass can be stimulated by (institutional) design, namely by determining the elicitation order on the basis of previous behavior. Overall, this commitment nudge is effective. Both socially-oriented and previously not socially-oriented subjects modify their behavior after the pledge.

AB - Pledges are used to signal the intention to act in a socially desirable way. In this study, we examine what role social influence plays in the decision to pledge. In a laboratory experiment, subjects can make a pledge to contribute to a public good in the socially optimal way. Across treatment conditions, we vary the way in which the pledges are elicited. Hence, the degree of social influence on pledge-making is manipulated and its impact can be examined. We find that when individuals are aware that the majority of other subjects decided to pledge, they are likely to conform and also make the pledge. The emergence of such a critical mass can be stimulated by (institutional) design, namely by determining the elicitation order on the basis of previous behavior. Overall, this commitment nudge is effective. Both socially-oriented and previously not socially-oriented subjects modify their behavior after the pledge.

KW - Commitment

KW - Conformity

KW - Pledge

KW - Promise

KW - Public good

KW - Social dilemma

KW - Social influence

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126455971&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.socec.2022.101848

DO - 10.1016/j.socec.2022.101848

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85126455971

VL - 98

JO - Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics

JF - Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics

SN - 2214-8043

M1 - 101848

ER -