Inspired to donate: How donors' social class impacts charitable donations. Issue 1 (8th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Xiaohong; Chen, Binglin; Jin, Pei
• Is Part Of: Journal of consumer behaviour. Volume 22:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2022-11-08
• Subjects: Consumer behavior -- Periodicals; Motivation research (Marketing) -- Periodicals; 658.834205
• DOI: 10.1002/cb.2042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-0817

Abstract

Abstract: Previous research has found that donors' social class affects their own charitable giving. This research explores the effect of donors' social class on others' donation behavior. Specifically, we propose that individuals feel more inspired to engage in prosocial behavior after learning about low‐social‐class donors (vs. high‐social‐class donors) perform the giving behavior. A series of five studies, combining online and experimental data, provide converging support for this proposition and its underlying mechanism of inspiration. Furthermore, we show that the effect of donors' social class on individuals' donation behavior is attenuated when the donation currency is goods (instead of money). The article concludes with implications for the marketing of charities and prosocial behaviors.