Enhancing Re-spending Behavior to Charities: The Roles of Similarity and Perspective Taking
(A2023-114087)

AUTHORS

Dominik Hettich, Goethe University Frankfurt; Franziska Mesnaric, Platform24; Torsten Bornemann, Goethe University Frankfurt; Stefan Hattula, Accenture

ABSTRACT

This study investigates in the context of charitable giving how donors' future re-spending intention is influenced by the way in which information about recipients is presented, after a donation has been made. We theorize and empirically test two interventions: matching donors and recipients based on individual characteristics and focalization, which refers to the provision of information that encourages donors to imagine themselves in the recipient's situation. The results show that focalization constitutes an effective intervention to stimulate situational perspective-taking and re-spending intention. In contrast, evidence for the effectiveness of matching is mixed: apart from a positive effect via perceived similarity, we also observe social comparison processes with adverse effects. Our results have important implications for researchers and practitioners as they refine our understanding about the mechanisms leading donors to commit to charities for longer time.