Got a dollar? Locomotion orientation decreases the effect of defaults on charitable giving

As retailers seek to enhance their fundraising capabilities at the checkout, many are debating whether to pair their donation appeals with default options. However, research on the effectiveness of defaults remains conflicted and individual differences among consumers are largely ignored. Addressing this, an experiment was conducted to demonstrate that individual differences in locomotion, a motivation for control in decision-making, impacts the acceptance of defaults, and thus actual donations. Low locomotion was found to increase donations in the presence of defaults. This finding allows marketers to better target customers with defaults in donation appeals and achieve greater fundraising success.