Thinkers and feelers: Emotion and giving

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Religion
• Social Psychology
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Voluntary organizations, like religious congregations, depend on member contributions.
• Historically, research on congregational giving has emphasized rational decision-making.
• The role of emotional experiences in financial contributions remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of positive emotions during religious services on members' financial giving.
• To examine how congregational characteristics moderate the relationship between emotional experiences and giving.
• To extend interaction ritual theory to the context of religious financial contributions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2001 U.S. Congregational Life Survey.
• Employed multilevel modeling to analyze individual and congregational-level factors.
• Tested hypotheses derived from interaction ritual theory.

Main Results:

• Individuals experiencing positive emotions in services were more likely to donate a higher income proportion.
• Congregational factors such as high aggregate positive emotion, strictness, dense networks, and expressive rituals amplified this effect.
• Both cognitive and emotional factors were found to be significant predictors of congregational giving.

Conclusions:

• Emotional experiences within religious services are a crucial driver of member financial contributions.
• Congregational context significantly influences the relationship between emotion and giving.
• A comprehensive understanding of congregational giving requires integrating both emotional and cognitive perspectives.