Publications (FIS)

Pledges and how social influence shapes their effectiveness

authored by
Ann Kathrin Koessler
Abstract

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.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Environmental Planning
Environmental Behaviour and Planning
External Organisation(s)
Osnabrück University
London School of Economics and Political Science
Type
Article
Journal
Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics
Volume
98
ISSN
2214-8043
Publication date
06.2022
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Applied Psychology, Economics and Econometrics, General Social Sciences
Electronic version(s)
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/114538/1/1_s2.0_S2214804322000246_main.pdf (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2022.101848 (Access: Open)