Argument-inconsistency in charity appeals: Statistical information about the scope of the problem decrease helping toward a single identified victim but not helping toward many non-identified victims in a refugee crisis context

Abstract

Argument-inconsistency in charity appeals: Statistical information about the scope of the problem decrease helping toward a single identified victim but not helping toward many nonidentified victims in a refugee crisis context Arvid Erlandsson (corresponding author): Word count: 9596 (excluding abstract and reference list) © 2016. This manuscript version is made available under the Elsevier user license http://www.elsevier.com/open-access/userlicense/1.0/ RUNNING HEAD: HOW STATISTICAL INFORMATION INFLUENCE HELPING Argument-inconsistency in charity appeals: Statistical information about the scope of the problem decrease helping toward a single identified victim but not helping toward many non-identified victims in a refugee crisis context AbstractIt is known that both the characteristics of the victims one can help and the existence of victims one cannot help influence economic helping decisions in suboptimal ways. The aim of this study was to systematically test if these two aspects interact with each other. In Studies 1 and 2, we created hypothetical charity appeals related to the Syrian refugee crisis and factorially manipulated characteristics of victims possible to help (one identified child/nine non-identified children) and presence of statistical information about the scope and nature of the problem (information-box absent/present). We found a significant interaction effect both when using self-rated helping intention (Study 1), and when using actual donation behavior as the dependent variable (Study 2). Statistical information decreased helping intentions toward a single identified child but had no, or even a small positive effect on helping nine non-identified children. In Study 3, non-student participants reading a charity appeal with both a story about one identified child and statistical information donated less often than participants reading appeals with either only a story about one identified child or only statistical information. We suggest that both emotional arguments (e.g., a story and picture of an identified child in need) and analytical arguments (e.g., detailed statistical information about the scope and nature of the problem) can make us more motivated to help refugees, but that mixing different argument-types can make charity appeals internally inconsistent and decrease donations. Keywords: charity appeals; helping refugees; identified victim effect; pseudoinefficacy; anticipated warm glow; argument-inconsistency.Word count: 9596 (excluding abstract and reference list)

Attitudes and Donation Behavior When Reading Positive and Negative Charity Appeals

“…For example, an advertisement can try to persuade readers either by appealing to emotions or by appealing to facts and logic (Erlandsson, Västfjäll, Sundfelt, & Slovic, 2016). Advertisements also differ in to what extent they tend to focus on consequences for others or consequences for oneself if complying or not complying (e.g., Fisher, Vandenbosch, & Antia, 2008).…”

“…Although this approach is common in charitable marketing, there are reasons to question its effectiveness. There are studies that suggest that internal congruence in the charity appeal is important (e.g., Erlandsson et al, 2016). For example, Lee and Aaker (2004) manipulated both type of appeals (gain or loss framed) and type of behavior (prevention or promotion) in a noncharity context.…”

The elusive power of the individual victim: Failure to find a difference in the effectiveness of charitable appeals focused on one compared to many victims

“…Further, studies in this area typically compare an identified individual to either a group of identified individuals [ 3 ], to an identified individual and a group [ 26 ], or to statistics [ 22 ]. In addition, work has compared how the inclusion of statistical information influences the impact of help appeals featuring groups and individuals [ 27 ]. Previous studies have not included these various victim presentations in the same between-subjects design.…”

The rise and fall of scary numbers: The effect of perceived trends on future estimates, severity ratings, and help‐allocations in a cancer context

“…On the one hand, several lines of research predict that high numbers of dead or needy people are generally discouraging, and that people will be the most motivated to help when there is a single identified individual in need and when it is possible to help that individual (Bartels, ; Kogut & Ritov, ; Mata, ; Slovic, ; Small, Loewenstein, & Slovic, ; Västfjäll, Slovic, & Mayorga, ; Västfjäll, Slovic, Mayorga, & Peters, ). On the other hand, other lines of research suggest that including statistical information and numbers in charity appeals sometimes can increase prosocial behavior (Bachke, Alfnes, & Wik, ; Cryder, Loewenstein, & Scheines, ; Erlandsson, Västfjäll, Sundfelt, & Slovic, ; Kleber, Dickert, Peters, & Florack, ; Lesner & Rasmussen, ).…”