Goal proximity, social information, and giving: when norms backfire

Two types of information commonly presented to potential donors by fundraisers are (a) the percentage of the fundraising campaign goal reached, and (b) the number of donors to that campaign. Research on goal gradient motivation and descriptive norms would predict higher donations as the goal is approached and when there are many past donors to a given campaign. However, in two studies, we demonstrate that when close to the campaign goal, individuals donate more when they learn there are few (versus many) past donors. In Study 1 (N=13,232), we observe this pattern across actual campaigns on a fundraising website. In Study 2 (N=571), we obtain causal evidence for this effect in a laboratory experiment, and show that the effect is driven by an increase in donors’ perceived impact on reaching the campaign goal. This work identifies a novel context in which norms can backfire, and has practical implications for fundraisers.