This project examines whether repeated opportunities to do good encourage or undermine pro-social behaviour. Using controlled experiments, it studies moral licensing, i.e., the tendency for an initial pro-social act to reduce subsequent pro-social behaviour, and assesses its implications for overall outcomes. The findings show that, despite moral licensing, repeated opportunities to act pro-socially can actually increase total pro-social behaviour.
Research in psychology and behavioural economics suggests that an initial pro-social act can reduce pro-social behaviour in subsequent decisions, an effect known as moral licensing. This has raised concerns that providing repeated opportunities to do good may reduce overall pro-social behaviour.
This project investigates this question through two laboratory experiments on charitable giving. The first experiment examines how an initial donation affects giving in a subsequent decision. It finds the typical pattern of moral licensing: participants who have already acted pro-socially give less when presented with another opportunity. However, compared with a relevant benchmark in which participants receive the same total resources but face only one opportunity to donate, repeated opportunities to give actually lead to higher total giving.
The second experiment explores the mechanisms underlying this result by varying the timing of donation opportunities and the information participants receive about future opportunities. The findings indicate that individuals respond positively to each additional opportunity to give, irrespective of its timing.
Overall, the research shows that moral licensing at the individual decision level does not necessarily reduce pro-social behaviour in the aggregate. The findings are relevant for charities and policymakers designing interventions that create repeated opportunities for individuals to contribute to social causes.
Swiss National Science Foundation, National Research Programme 73 Sustainable Economy
Swiss National Science Foundation, National Research Programme 73 Sustainable Economy
