Strong reciprocity
Would you be more likely to fill out a survey if it included cash up front? How much cash would it take to induce you to fill out a survey and not just toss it in the recycle bin? Perhaps it depends on the nature of the survey?
This week, I received a survey from the editors of Technology Review. Enclosed with the survey was a letter explaining the survey bearer’s goals, to determine what their readers think of recent changes to the magazine. Also enclosed was a crisp five dollar bill, so crisp, in fact, I had to examine it closely to make sure it was legal tender. It was. The five dollar bill definitely stopped me. What to do about this? Somehow I now felt an obligation to at least read the survey and check out what they want to know. After all, they were giving me five dollars without me having done anything. How often does that happen (without some scam playing out in the process?)
The survey, for the most part, concerns how I read the magazine, what parts of it I like and don’t like, what my interest level is regarding certain technological topics, what other magazines I read, what kind of work I do, age, education, and gender. Fair enough. My identity is not, supposedly, going to be associated with my answers. This requires a great deal of trust on my part.
The truth is, I subscribed to Technology Review only because the strike price was right: free. It’s one of eight other periodicals I subscribed to with my leftover United Airlines miles. I don’t feel my answers to this particular survey would be very helpful to the editors. But I can’t deny feeling some internal tug toward giving in and filling out the damn thing with honest answers. And I think it was the five dollar bill that made the difference for me. Many a survey has come my way before and passed instantly into the trash without a care or concern, but because this time something was given to me first, I felt an urge to give something in return. There may be something to the notion of “strong reciprocity” among humans.