An eye-popping example of how much people chose to donate when they felt like they were being watched. 

Answer: Donations increased by 80%

Questions:

1. Why do you think the presence of eye images above a donation box could increase donations?
2. Is it ethical to use images of eyes to encourage donations? Explain why or why not.
3. How does this relate to marketing tactics used by businesses and charities? Can you think of other ways in which psychological triggers are used to influence consumer behavior?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (from MarketWatch):

When the eyes picture was on the box, people dropped more money into it. The average increase was just one cent per museum visitor, but that added up to an increase of $12 per week — a significant gain, given that the average weekly donation was $15 during the study period, the researchers said.

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Be sure to check out NGPF's updated Philanthropy unit!

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The activity COMPARE: Philanthropy Pitfalls will keep your students' wits sharp when it comes to donating their hard-earned money.

About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.