This study examines how potential donors decide between “for others” and “for ourselves” when responding to charitable appeals. Prior research has typically examined time versus money donations or emotional appeals in isolation, rarely considering the joint effects of message framing, emotional cues, and individual motives. Drawing on Construal Level Theory and Emotional Contagion Theory, this research investigates how appeal type (time vs. money), beneficiaries’ facial expressions (smiling vs. crying), and donors’ egoistic–altruistic orientation jointly influence donation intention. A 2 (appeal type) × 2 (facial expression) between-subjects experiment was conducted. Donors’ altruistic tendency was measured using the Self-Report Altruism Scale and, via median split, categorized as altruistic or egoistic. Data from 240 valid participants were analyzed. Results show a positive main effect of altruistic tendency, and a main effect of appeal type, indicating that time and money appeals differentially motivate support. In time appeals, altruistic individuals reported higher donation intentions than egoistic individuals, whereas no significant difference emerged in money appeals. Facial expression did not show a simple main effect but interacted with motivational orientation and appeal type: “time × smiling” and “money × crying” provided stronger motivational fit and enhanced donation intention.

Authors:
Yi-Chun Yeh, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
Danny Tengti Kao, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Danny Tengti Kao is currently professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/ycyeh/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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