Increasing Donations and Improving Donor Experiences: Lessons From Decision Science. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oppenheimer, Daniel M.
• Editors: Fiske, Susan T.
• Other Names: Wolfe Jeremy M. guest-editor.; Malmberg Kenneth J. guest-editor.; Newcombe Nora S. guest-editor.; Dhami Mandeep K. guest-editor.; McNamara Danielle S. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Policy insights from the behavioral and brain sciences. Volume 2:Number 1(2015)
• Page Start: 203
• Page End: 210
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: charity -- overhead aversion -- matching gifts -- tangibility -- well-being; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Brain -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Periodicals; Behavioral Sciences; Public Policy; Brain; Human behavior; Political planning; Periodicals; Periodicals; 150
• DOI: 10.1177/2372732215600884
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2372-7322

Abstract

Giving to charity not only helps fund programs that are beneficial to society but also reliably increases the well-being of donors. However, not all donations are equally effective at improving donor happiness. This article reviews the research from psychology and behavioral economics and identifies several key factors for optimizing donor experiences. These lessons can be used to design charitable appeals that are highly effective and that create conditions that make charitable giving more rewarding to donors, which increases the likelihood that they will donate again.