Abstract
Duty-orientation implies a warm glow of giving as well as a cold shiver of not giving enough. If duty-oriented consumers learn their moral responsibility by observing others’ behavior, social interaction in contribution behavior arises. However, since moral responsibility is a burden, duty-oriented consumers may be less willing to accept responsibility if their information about others’ behavior is uncertain. Data from a survey on households’ glass recycling indicates that perceived responsibility is a major determinant for reported recycling, that responsibility ascription is influenced by beliefs about others’ behavior, and that people are, indeed, reluctant to accept responsibility based on uncertain information. (JEL D64, Q53)
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