To Split or not to split? The impact of the Breadth of Giving on Perceived Morality
(A2022-107715)

AUTHORS

Matilde Lucheschi, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass); Oguz Acar, City University of London

ABSTRACT

In the last decade, the digital revolution has impacted all aspects of our lives, including our way of giving to charities. Thanks to the advances in digital technologies, new donation platforms, such as round-up services, text giving, social media initiatives and crowdfunding, have been introduced in the fundraising scenario. These platforms allow donors to quickly and easily give small amounts to a wide range of charities. As a result, individuals are increasingly spreading their donations across different charitable initiatives. This project investigates the perceived morality of this behavior, i.e. breadth of giving. Across three studies, the researchers predict and show that breadth of giving (vs. giving the same amount to a single charity) is perceived as a more moral behaviour. The researchers discuss the implications of this finding, considering the importance of reputational concern in the charity giving context and the regulatory role that moral judgments have within society.