Let's Give Together: Can Collaborative Giving Boost Generosity?

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• An increasing trend of individuals engaging in charitable donations with others.
• Limited empirical evidence on whether collaborative giving enhances generosity, with existing studies being correlational or inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally investigate the impact of collaborative giving on generosity.
• To explore the potential mediating role of intrinsic enjoyment in the relationship between collaborative giving and donation amounts.

Main Methods:

• Two pre-registered experiments involving pairs of unacquainted undergraduates.
• Participants were randomly assigned to collaborative giving, individual giving in each other's presence, or private giving conditions.
• Generosity and intrinsic enjoyment were measured across conditions.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in generosity were found across the different giving conditions.
• Collaborative giving was associated with greater intrinsic enjoyment compared to individual giving.
• Intrinsic enjoyment positively predicted donation amounts, suggesting a potential indirect mechanism.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative giving does not directly increase generosity.
• The intrinsic enjoyment derived from collaborative giving may serve as a mechanism to promote larger donations in the future.
• Findings offer insights for charitable organizations seeking to encourage giving through social dynamics.