1
|
Moche H, Karlsson H, Västfjäll D. Victim identifiability, number of victims, and unit asking in charitable giving. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300863. [PMID: 38547164 PMCID: PMC10977801 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
This study examines the identifiable victim effect (being more willing to help an identified victim than an unidentified), the singularity effect (i.e., being more willing to help a single identified victim than a group of identified victims), and unit asking (first asking donors for their willingness to donate for one unit and then asking for donations for multiple units) in charitable giving. In five studies (N = 7996), we vary the level of identifiability, singularity, and group size. We find that unit asking is making people more sensitive to the number of people in need. Further, while the level of identifiability influences affective reactions, this effect does not extend to donations and, thus, is not affected by unit asking. We do, however, find an "emotion asking effect" where asking donors to rate their affect before donating increase donation levels (compared to donors asked to rate affect after). Emotion asking was attenuated when combined with unit asking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajdi Moche
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- JEDI-Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Hulda Karlsson
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- JEDI-Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daniel Västfjäll
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- JEDI-Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Decision Research, Eugene, OR, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schwitzgebel E, McVey C, May J. Engaging charitable giving: The motivational force of narrative versus philosophical argument. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2022.2088340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joshua May
- Department of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hagman W, Tinghög G, Dickert S, Slovic P, Västfjäll D. Motivated Down-Regulation of Emotion and Compassion Collapse Revisited. Front Psychol 2022; 13:801150. [PMID: 35911053 PMCID: PMC9326354 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.801150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Compassion collapse is a phenomenon where feelings and helping behavior decrease as the number of needy increases. But what are the underlying mechanisms for compassion collapse? Previous research has attempted to pit two explanations: Limitations of the feeling system vs. motivated down-regulation of emotion, against each other. In this article, we critically reexamine a previous study comparing these two accounts published in 2011 and present new data that contest motivated down-regulation of emotion as the primary explanation for compassion collapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Hagman
- JEDILab, Division of Economics, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- JEDILab, Division of Psychology, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division for Human-Centered Systems (HCS) at the Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Gustav Tinghög
- JEDILab, Division of Economics, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- JEDILab, Division of Psychology, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Medical and Health Sciences, The National Center for Priority Setting in Health Care, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Stephan Dickert
- Department of Psychology, University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria
- School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Slovic
- Decision Research, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Daniel Västfjäll
- JEDILab, Division of Economics, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- JEDILab, Division of Psychology, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Decision Research, Eugene, OR, United States
- *Correspondence: Daniel Västfjäll,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Harel I, Kogut T. The Effect of the Number and Identification of Recipients on Organ-Donation Decisions. Front Psychol 2021; 12:794422. [PMID: 34975694 PMCID: PMC8716457 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.794422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined how presentations of organ donation cases in the media may affect people’s decisions about organ donation issues. Specifically, we focused on the combined effect of the information about the number of recipients saved by the organs of one deceased person (one vs. four) and the identifiability of the donor and the recipient(s) in organ donation descriptions, on people’s willingness to donate the organs of a deceased relative. Results suggest that reading about more people who were saved by the organs of a deceased donor does not increase willingness to donate. Replicating earlier research, we found that reading about a case of organ donation involving an identified deceased donor, deceased willingness to donate. However, this effect was attenuated when participants read about more recipients who were saved by the donation. Importantly, the presentation that prompted the greatest willingness to donate a deceased relative’s organs was the one that featured an unidentified donor and only one identified recipient. Finally, an explorative investigation into participants’ subconscious thoughts of death following the organ donation story revealed that identifying a deceased organ donor prompts more thoughts of death in the perceiver (regardless of the number of recipients).
Collapse
|
5
|
Moche H, Västfjäll D. Helping the child or the adult? Systematically testing the identifiable victim effect for child and adult victims. SOCIAL INFLUENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15534510.2021.1995482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hajdi Moche
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daniel Västfjäll
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Decision Research, Eugene, OR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Seven (weak and strong) helping effects systematically tested in separate evaluation, joint evaluation and forced choice. JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING 2021. [DOI: 10.1017/s1930297500008378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIn ten studies (N = 9187), I systematically investigated the direction and size of seven helping effects (the identifiable-victim effect, proportion dominance effect, ingroup effect, existence effect, innocence effect, age effect and gender effect). All effects were tested in three decision modes (separate evaluation, joint evaluation and forced choice), and in their weak form (equal efficiency), or strong form (unequal efficiency). Participants read about one, or two, medical help projects and rated the attractiveness of and allocated resources to the project/projects, or choose which project to implement. The results show that the included help-situation attributes vary in their: (1) Evaluability – e.g., rescue proportion is the easiest to evaluate in separate evaluation. (2) Justifiability – e.g., people prefer to save fewer lives now rather than more lives in the future, but not fewer identified lives rather than more statistical lives. (3) Prominence – e.g., people express a preference to help females, but only when forced to choose.
Collapse
|
7
|
Erlandsson A, Wingren M, Andersson PA. Type and amount of help as predictors for impression of helpers. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243808. [PMID: 33306708 PMCID: PMC7732071 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Impression of helpers can vary as a function of the magnitude of helping (amount of help) and of situational and motivational aspects (type of help). Over three studies conducted in Sweden and the US, we manipulated both the amount and the type of help in ten diverse vignettes and measured participants' impressions of the described helpers. Impressions were almost unaffected when increasing the amount of help by 500%, but clearly affected by several type of help-manipulations. Particularly, helpers were less positively evaluated if they had mixed motives for helping, did not experience intense emotions or empathy, or if helping involved no personal sacrifice. In line with the person-centered theory of moral judgment, people seem to form impressions of helpers primarily based on the presumed underlying processes and motives of prosociality rather than its consequences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arvid Erlandsson
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mattias Wingren
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per A. Andersson
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kossowska M, Szumowska E, Szwed P, Czernatowicz-Kukuczka A, Kruglanski AW. Helping when the desire is low: Expectancy as a booster. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2020; 44:819-831. [PMID: 32921845 PMCID: PMC7472690 DOI: 10.1007/s11031-020-09853-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
One might assume that the desire to help (here described as Want) is the essential driver of helping declarations and/or behaviors. However, even if desire to help (Want) is low, intention to help may still occur if the expectancy regarding the perceived effectiveness of helping is high. We tested these predictions in a set of three experimental studies. In all three, we measured the desire to help (Want) and the Expectancy that the aid would be impactful for the victim; in addition, we manipulated Expectancy in Study 3. In Studies 1 and 3, we measured the participants’ declaration to help while in Study 2, their helping behavior was examined. In all three studies, we used variations of the same story about a victim. The results supported our hypothesis. Thus, the studies help to tease apart the determinants of helping under conditions of lowered desire to do so, an issue of great importance in public policymaking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Kossowska
- Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa Szumowska
- Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060 Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Szwed
- Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060 Kraków, Poland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Moche H, Erlandsson A, Andersson D, Västfjäll D. Opportunity Cost in Monetary Donation Decisions to Non-identified and Identified Victims. Front Psychol 2020; 10:3035. [PMID: 32038400 PMCID: PMC6986473 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Do people consider alternative uses of money (i.e., opportunity cost) when asked to donate to a charitable cause? To answer this question, we examined the effect of providing versus not providing participants with an opportunity cost reminder when they are asked to donate money to causes with identified and non-identified victims. The results of two studies show that when making one-time donation decisions, people become less willing to donate to charity when reminded of opportunity cost, but mainly for non-identified victims. Moreover, framing the opportunity cost reminder as prosocial versus proself did not influence willingness to donate. Overall, our evidence suggests that opportunity cost reminders influence people's donation behavior depending on whether charities identify supported victims or not.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajdi Moche
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Arvid Erlandsson
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - David Andersson
- Department of Management and Economics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daniel Västfjäll
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Decision Research, Eugene, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|