Saying things like “even a penny helps” makes small contributions feel legitimate.

Alternative tool name: Low-ball, Legitimation of paltry donations, LPD, LPC

Tool variation:

Category: Choice architecture, size/nature of ask

Sub-category:

Relevant theories: 'Legitimation of paltry donation' (LPD/LPC), Conformity

Type of evidence: Field-exp-charity, Field-exp-charity, Meta-analysis/lit survey

Evidence strength (ad hoc assessment): 7

Even a penny helps' (lpd/'low bar') increases contribution incidence (appears strongly replicated) but sometimes reduces conditional contribution ('scale-back'); net effect varies. Mediated by anchors and expectations.

May be easier to legitimate small donations in effective (humanitarian) contexts because of low living costs… Seems a common practice in international giving (“for the price of just a cup of coffee”)

Prevalence:

Common

• The Effect Of Matching Contribution Offers And Legitimization Of Paltry Contributions On Compliance, Full text

• Increasing Compliance By Legitimizing Paltry Contributions: When Even A Penny Helps., Full text

• The Legitimization Of Paltry Favors Effect: A Review And Meta-Analysis, Full text

• papers

• Toward An Understanding Of Why Suggestions Work In Charitable Fundraising: Theory And Evidence From A Natural Field Experiment

Contributors David Reinstein