Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Hannah Trachtman Author-Name-First: Hannah Author-Name-Last: Trachtman Author-Workplace-Name: Yale University Author-Name: Andrew Steinkruger Author-Name-First: Andrew Author-Name-Last: Steinkruger Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage Author-Name: Mackenzie Wood Author-Name-First: Mackenzie Author-Name-Last: Wood Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage Author-Name: Adam Wooster Author-Name-First: Adam Author-Name-Last: Wooster Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage Author-Name: James Andreoni Author-Name-First: James Author-Name-Last: Andreoni Author-Workplace-Name: University of California San Diego Author-Name: James J. Murphy Author-Name-First: James Author-Name-Last: Murphy Author-Email: murphy@uaa.alaska.edu Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage Author-Name: Justin M. Rao Author-Name-First: Justin Author-Name-Last: Rao Author-Workplace-Name: Microsoft Research Title: Fair Weather Avoidance: Unpacking the Costs and Benefits of “Avoiding the Ask" Abstract: If being asked to give to charity stimulates an emotional response, like empathy, that makes giving difficult to resist, a natural self-control mechanism might be to avoid being asked in the first place. We replicate a result from a field experiment that points to the role of empathy in giving. We conduct an experiment in a large superstore in which we solicit donations to charity and randomly allow shoppers the opportunity to avoid solicitation by using the other door. We find the rate of avoidance by store entrants to be 8.9 percent. However, we also find that the avoidance effect disappears in very cold weather, suggesting that avoidance behavior is sensitive to its cost. Creation-date: 2014-10 Number: 2014-05 Handle: RePEc:ala:wpaper:2014-05 File-URL: http://www.econpapers.uaa.alaska.edu/RePEC/ala/wpaper/ALA201405.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Classification-JEL: D03, D64, H41, C90, C93 Keywords: experimental economics, field experiment, charitable giving, philanthropy Publication-Status: Published in Journal of the Economic Science Association. 1(1):8-14.