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Donors Who Feel the Pain Give More, Study Finds
PITTSBURGH -- No one enjoys inflicting pain or discomfort upon himself, such as dumping a bucket of ice water over his head -- unless it's for a good cause, new research from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University has found.
Christopher Olivola, assistant professor of marketing at the school, conducted experiments to examine charitable giving. His findings help explain the fundraising successes of campaigns linked to physical activities that require discomfort or physical exertion, such walking a 5-kilometer course, running a marathon -- even the increasingly common ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a fundraiser to support research of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
"Our studies have demonstrated that when someone endures pain for a charitable cause, for example by soaking themselves in ice-cold water, the sacrifice of their own comfort makes their contribution to the cause seem far more meaningful than if they were baking cookies or attending a charitable ball. This is what we have termed as the 'martyrdom effect,'" Olivola said in a prepared statement. "The result is that monetary giving increases accordingly.
"However, our experiments have also found this to be true only if the cause seeks to reduce to human suffering, such as the difficult symptoms of ALS," he continued. "In other words, dumping a bucket of ice water over your head to raise money for a local library or public park would not generate the same results. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge successfully made that connection."
Standard theories of human behavior suggest that individuals seek to avoid pain and physical effort when possible. However, in a study "The Martyrdom Effect: When Pain and Effort Increase Prosocial Contributions" Oliviola conducted with Eldar Shafir, William Tod professor of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University, they conducted five experiments that determined behavioral patterns that seemingly defy standard economic and physiological assumptions. The experiments demonstrate that people are willing to donate more to charity when they anticipate having to suffer to raise money and this effect is greatest for causes associated with human suffering.
According to his research, the elements of pain and physical effort might cause people to contribute more money to a group effort. In one study, participants were given a sum of money that they could keep or donate to a group fund that benefited their peers. They offered more of their money when donating to the fund required them to hold their hands in extremely cold water for 60 seconds, compared to when donating did not require enduring an uncomfortable task. With the added component of the cold-water task, participants in this study donated some 30% more money to the group than without the chilly requirement.
"Not only are people willing to participate in painful, effortful events and give away their money to aid anonymous others, but the prospect of experiencing pain and exerting effort for a pro-social cause can actually lead to greater altruism," Olivola said.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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