5
Men donate less than women, and when they do, tend to give more to the people closer to them, new research from Texas A&M University says.
In three studies, 634 participants were given five $1 bills and three options: Keep the cash, give it to a hurricane Katrina relief fund, or give it to a fund for victims of the Indonesian tsunami.
The study, which will be published next year in the Journal of Consumer Research, examined how men and women responded to the hardships of "ingroups" and "outgroups." An ingroup has a perceived connection with the donor, such as geographic proximity or even ethnicity. An outgroup is often situated far away.
Women with higher moral identities - those most inclined to think it's important to care for others - split their donations between Katrina and tsunami victims. Those with lower moral identities gave more to Katrina victims, the ingroup. Few men gave to the tsunami outgroup, and some kept the cash.
The researchers say charities must ensure that men view recipients as an ingroup, and since women appear to be more generous, fundraisers should target them with media "that slants female," said study co-author William T. Ross, a professor at Pennsylvania State University.
