During Sunday services at Catholic churches, the basket is passed through the pews in the middle of the mass, with parishioners expected to drop in donations to help keep the parish running. But on certain weeks, especially during the Easter and Christmas seasons, the basket gets passed around a second time toward the end of the ceremony. This second donation is for a specific cause: Hurricane relief, say, or in support of missionary work. To use an analogy that seems particularly apt in this context: Are churches robbing Peter to pay Paul? Are people putting less in the first basket so ... Read More
Not All Suffering Prompts Equal Generosity
January 7, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
The appeals arrive in the mail on a regular basis, often in envelopes featuring images of sad-eyed children. They inform us that a crisis has occurred somewhere in the world, disrupting the lives of a great many people and plead for a generous donation to help alleviate their suffering. Why are some of these campaigns far more effective than others? Research just published in the European Journal of Social Psychology suggests one reason is the inherent bias of potential donors. It seems we are significantly more likely to contribute when the crisis in question is the result of a natural ... Read More
