A couple of months ago I spotted an article in New Scientist (bear with me) which reported the results of an interesting experiment carried out at Newcastle University. In the canteen of the Psychology Dept there is a drinks vending machine with an honesty box next to it. The research team placed a poster next to it, detailing the prices of the various drinks. On the poster was a photograph which the team changed periodically, between an image of some flowers and an image of a pair of human eyes. On the days when the poster showing the eyes was displayed, takings in the honesty box increased by 276%.

Another article in New Scientist reported an experiment conducted at Harvard, where 96 volunteers played against each other anonymously in games where they donate money or withhold it. Donating into a communal pot would yield the most money, but only if others donated too. Half made their choices undisturbed at a computer screen, while the others were faced with a photo of a cute robot called Kismet - ostensibly not part of the experiment. The players who gazed at Kismet gave 30 per cent more to the pot than the others. The researchers believe that at some subconscious level they were aware of being watched.

Here’s an idea… let’s test it on a donation form. We could test an image of the need above one donation form, against a close up of one of the recipient’s eyes looking straight at you on another.

Who’s up for it?

Nick Couldry