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I swear, I would like to donate later

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2025

Jianbiao Li Open the ORCID record for Jianbiao Li [Opens in a new window] ,
Ruqian Zang Open the ORCID record for Ruqian Zang [Opens in a new window]  and
Xiaofei Niu Open the ORCID record for Xiaofei Niu [Opens in a new window]
Jianbiao Li
Affiliation:
School of Economics, Institute for Study of Brain-Like Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
Ruqian Zang*
Affiliation:
School of Economics, Institute for Study of Brain-Like Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
Xiaofei Niu*
Affiliation:
School of Economics, Institute for Study of Brain-Like Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
*
rq_zang@mail.sdu.edu.cn
xf_niu@126.com
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Abstract

Pledges are ubiquitous in charitable giving, but they are often reneged upon. To investigate whether adding the phrase “I swear” to pledge language can reduce pledge reneging, we conduct a series of experiments in the context of online fundraising. We find that including “I swear” at the beginning of the pledge language significantly increases immediate giving and pledge fulfillment, with more individuals switching from pledging to giving immediately. We also observe individual heterogeneity in moral identity: Our findings are present among individuals with low moral identity, but not among those with high moral identity. Our paper presents a simple and no-cost strategy for increasing the effectiveness of pledges in online fundraising.

Keywords

Charitable givingPledgeI swearOnline fundraising

JEL classification

D64: Altruism • Philanthropy • Intergenerational Transfers C93: Field Experiments D91: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making‡
Type
Original Paper
Information
Experimental Economics , Volume 27 , Issue 5 , November 2024 , pp. 1158 - 1183
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Economic Science Association 2024

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Footnotes

Jianbiao Li and Ruqian Zang have contributed equally to this work.

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