| | Category | BE | L03 | Theory of Reciprocity on Donor Behavior |
| | Abstract | When visiting Costco on a weekend it is possible to eat the equivalent of |
| | a meal without spending a dime. Why is this? Do Costco and its suppliers |
| | believe that after tasting a sample people will like it so much more they will |
| | buy it? Or are they counting on reciprocity, the feeling that if someone is |
| | given something, they must give something back. |
| | The purpose of this experiment is to determine if the theory of reciprocity |
| | can have a positive effect on donations, specifically, in person donation |
| | solicitations. At some Salvation Army Red Kettle sites, some subjects will |
| | be offered a small token (a wrapped piece of candy) prior to being asked |
| | to donate, others will just be asked to donate. The ratio of subjects that |
| | donate when they receive a token versus those that donate without |
| | receiving a token will reveal the effectiveness of this approach. |
| | Bibliography |