There aren’t a ton of websites out there based on complicated thought games that are based on experimental economics. Part of that may have to do with the difficulty of turning thought experiments into viable websites. But what if that game could net you cash on a regular basis?
The Moral Experiment, a website developed by John Bushell, is part pyramid scheme (although he reasonably argues against that), part The Dictator Game, part online-giving app and part ethics study.
In a nutshell: The site charges a £1 monthly subscription fee. Users can subscribe for one, six or 12 months. However, that money goes to the person who referred you via his or her unique URL. The question then becomes whether you’ll keep that money, donate it to charity or some combination of both. That result is then tracked (entirely anonymously) based on criteria each user fills out when registering. Do men give more than women? Are certain age groups greedier than others? What factor does race or religion play?
“It will be interesting to see what participants will do with their moral earnings once they have made back their initial £1 subscription fee, essentially breaking even with one friend referral,” Bushell wrote on the site. “Most people on Facebook have at least 150 to 300 friends, the referral process could end up becoming very lucrative for the participants’ moral dilemma.”
The results, while anonymous, are sure to spark controversy especially when there’s no real way to verify an individual user’s age, religious affiliations, race, etc. Still, as of writing, 95% of the money has been donated to charity. It’s a pattern, despite the small user base, that reflects the economic game it’s modeled after.
The dictator game is an experiment in economics. A person (the dictator) is a given a sum of money that he or she can either keep, or give to a second person (the responder). Overwhelmingly, the dictator gives away at least some part of that sum even if the responder is a total stranger. The game seems to imply that people generally care about the welfare of others.
The site is a certified registered PayPal application, meaning your information is kept relatively safe, and all transactions occur through PayPal. On top of PayPal’s 5% fee, however, Bushell also takes another 15%. The site is registered as a company in the UK and not as a non-profit, despite its connection to viable and legitimate organizations.
Bushell hopes to boost his group data, as well as introduce new charities that could benefit from his largely philanthropic audience. “Yes it’s an experiment into human morality and yes the results will be an indication or trend but its still just a bit of fun,” Bushell wrote.
What would you do with an extra couple of bucks a month; keep it or donate it to charity?
Image courtesy of Flickr, invisible consequential
More About: charity, moral experiment, non-profit, social good, social media, the dictator game, the moral experiment
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