Understanding soft commitment: evidence from a field experiment on recycling

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Date
2022Version
Acceso abierto / Sarbide irekia
Type
Documento de trabajo / Lan gaiak
Project Identifier
Impact
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nodoi-noplumx
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Abstract
Taking advantage of a card-scanning system that records individual, real-time data on
the use of bio-waste sorting bins, we run a randomized field experiment to analyze the effectiveness of soft commitments in promoting participation in waste sorting. Being given
the offer to sign a soft commitment increased participation in waste sorting by 7-8 percentage points (0.22 s.d.). This represents a ...
[++]
Taking advantage of a card-scanning system that records individual, real-time data on
the use of bio-waste sorting bins, we run a randomized field experiment to analyze the effectiveness of soft commitments in promoting participation in waste sorting. Being given
the offer to sign a soft commitment increased participation in waste sorting by 7-8 percentage points (0.22 s.d.). This represents a 23-28% increase relative to the control group
of households that participated in the study but were not given the opportunity to sign a
soft commitment. This positive effect of the soft commitment operates exclusively through
the extensive margin (households start to sort their waste); it does not affect the intensive
margin (household adherence to waste sorting). This implies that soft commitments can
improve the effectiveness of environmental campaigns in cities or areas where a large part of
the population has never participated in waste sorting, while they would have little impact
in places where a majority of households have already participated in recycling. We also
show that the positive effect of the soft commitment remains constant 35 weeks after being
offered. The effect also persists after 36-47 weeks, although its size is reduced by one half. [--]
Subject
Environment,
Extensive-intensive margin,
Field experiment,
Nudging,
Recycling,
Solt commitment
Serie
Documentos de Trabajo DE - ES Lan Gaiak /
2201
Departament
Universidad Pública de Navarra. Departamento de Economía /
Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. Ekonomia Saila
Sponsorship
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PGC2018-093542-B-I00)