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Casting Doubt: Image Concerns and the Communication of Social Impact

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  • Manuel Foerster
  • Joël J van der Weele

Abstract

We investigate strategic communication about the social impact of costly prosocial actions. A ‘sender’ with noisy information about impact sends a cheap-talk message to a ‘receiver’, upon which both agents choose whether to act. In the presence of social preferences and image concerns, the sender trades off persuasion, exaggerating impact to induce receiver action, and justification, downplaying impact to cast doubt on the effectiveness of action and excuse her own passivity. In an experiment on charitable giving we find evidence for both motives. In line with our theory and a justification motive, increasing image concerns reduces communication of positive impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Manuel Foerster & Joël J van der Weele, 2021. "Casting Doubt: Image Concerns and the Communication of Social Impact," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(639), pages 2887-2919.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:131:y:2021:i:639:p:2887-2919.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/ueab014
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kai Barron & Tilman Fries, 2023. "Narrative Persuasion," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 469, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    2. Emilio Esguerra & Leonhard Vollmer & Johannes Wimmer, 2023. "Influence Motives in Social Signaling: Evidence from COVID-19 Vaccinations in Germany," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 5(2), pages 275-291, June.
    3. Soraperra, Ivan & van der Weele, Joël & Villeval, Marie Claire & Shalvi, Shaul, 2023. "The social construction of ignorance: Experimental evidence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 197-213.
    4. Koessler, Ann-Kathrin, 2022. "Pledges and how social influence shapes their effectiveness," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    5. Manuel Foerster & Daniel Habermacher, 2023. "Policy-advising Competition and Endogenous Lobbies," Working Papers 229, Red Nacional de Investigadores en Economía (RedNIE).
    6. Koessler, Ann Kathrin, 2022. "Pledges and how social influence shapes their effectiveness," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 114538, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Jantsje M. Mol & Ivan Soraperra & Joël J. van der Weele, 2023. "Spoiling the party. Experimental evidence on the willingness to transmit inconvenient ethical information," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 23-062/I, Tinbergen Institute, revised 01 Apr 2024.
    8. Hillenbrand, Adrian & Verrina, Eugenio, 2022. "The asymmetric effect of narratives on prosocial behavior," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 241-270.

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