Social norms and individual climate protection activities: A survey experiment for Germany

Based on the well-known observation that social norms can guide individual behavior, this paper empirically examines the causal effect of related information interventions on climate protection activities, measured through incentivized donations. In our experimental setting, we distinguish between descriptive social norms by providing information about individual climate protection activities in Germany, injunctive social norms by providing information about what people in Germany think about the need for climate protection activities, and a combination of both social norms. Based on representative survey data from more than 1600 individuals in Germany, our econometric analysis shows some weak evidence that information about both descriptive and injunctive social norms increases donations for climate protection. The decomposition of this estimated average treatment effect reveals that the corresponding treatment particularly has a significantly positive effect at the extensive margin, i.e. on the probability to donate for climate protection. These results suggest that a combined information intervention referring to both descriptive and injunctive social norms is at least able to stimulate the general willingness for climate protection. • Experimental analysis of incentivized climate protection activities. • Use of representative survey data from 1614 individuals in Germany • Analysis of causal effects of descriptive or injunctive social norms • Information about both descriptive and injunctive social norms has positive effect. • Overall weak effect is mainly induced by positive effect at extensive margin.