How To Ask For Charity
By Helen Potter
Listen up poor students, impoverished academics or anyone who could use a quick buck or two - science has come to the rescue.
Researchers have found exactly what makes people dip into their pockets for worthy causes. Economist John Randal and his team at Victoria University of Wellington filmed a clear donation box in the city's art gallery to unravel the complexities of giving.
Boxes with more banknotes received larger, but fewer, individual donations, whilst more coins produced a higher number of donations but of a lower value. Boxes that were always empty suffered a significant decrease in the total amount donated suggesting that people "saw the lack of donations as indicating that the norm was not to donate," said Randal.
Thank you signs also led to fewer donations, especially if the box already had a significant amount in it. So take note - next time you need to ask for money, it looks like it might pay to imply that someone already gave you some.
Researchers have found exactly what makes people dip into their pockets for worthy causes. Economist John Randal and his team at Victoria University of Wellington filmed a clear donation box in the city's art gallery to unravel the complexities of giving.
Boxes with more banknotes received larger, but fewer, individual donations, whilst more coins produced a higher number of donations but of a lower value. Boxes that were always empty suffered a significant decrease in the total amount donated suggesting that people "saw the lack of donations as indicating that the norm was not to donate," said Randal.
Thank you signs also led to fewer donations, especially if the box already had a significant amount in it. So take note - next time you need to ask for money, it looks like it might pay to imply that someone already gave you some.
Helen's other articles: brilliant!
Image: James White
Share this
