Women Donate Less to Charity Than Men
Content
Women donate less to charity than men because they feel more pressured to give money when they don't want to
Researchers found that women were more likely to try and avoid donating Say this is because women are more affected by social pressure to donate and feel more obliged to But men have a 'simpler thought process' so are more likely to donate simply because they are asked to
By Victoria Woollaston PUBLISHED: 14:51 GMT, 29 May 2013 | UPDATED: 14:55 GMT, 29 May 2013
54 shares 39 View comments
Women are more likely than men to dodge an opportunity to donate to charity, researchers have claimed. Although women and men were seen as equally generous when approached for money without prior warning, when the sexes were given the option to opt-out before being asked, women were more likely than men to take this opportunity. The researchers, from the University of Chicago and University of California Berkeley, say this is because women feel under more social pressure to donate, because they can recognise social clues better than men, and will avoid this pressure where possible.
Given the chance, women are more likely than men to dodge an opportunity to donate to charity
ATTRACTIVE WOMEN MAKE MEN MORE GENEROUS
Research from Sheffield Hallam University found that men are more likely to be generous when there are attractive women nearby. And more the more attractive the woman, the more selfless the man becomes. In the first study, 65 men and 65 women with an average age of 21 anonymously played a game in which they could donate money via a computer program to a group fund. The donations were selfless as the participant would not necessarily benefit from them but all other players would. While playing the game, each participant was then watched by either an attractive man or an attractive woman. The study found that the male players did more good deeds when observed by the woman. But there was no parallel effect for the women, and women performed the same number of deeds regardless of the sex of the person observing them. Men, on the other hand, don't recognise social clues and have a 'simpler thought process' so are more likely to donate simply because they were asked to. The study tested people's motivations to donate and whether they responded to social pressure or from an attitude of altruism, or selflessness. To do this, Professor John List, University Chicago economist and expert of philanthropy and his team visited neighborhoods in Chicago that were considered to be affluent. The team said they were raising money for a local children's hospital.
In the first part of the study the visits were unannounced. In the second part of the study flyers were put through the residents' doors announcing the fundraising team would be visiting the following day. Another flyer was put through the doors of a third group of people with the option to opt-out of giving the team money. Results showed that generosity, measured by the amount of money donated, was relatively equal between men and women when subjects were given no warning of the visit - around three percent for both sexes. In fact women donated in slightly more cases.
The economists found that men and women were equally generous when randomly asked to donate to charity. Yet, when the sexes could choose to opt-out of giving money to the same charity, women were more likely to dodge the donation compared to men
However, when subjects were given the chance to opt-out of donating, the 'marginal givers' would do so. In the study, marginal givers are defined as those who would donate but only if persuaded, and not otherwise. The researchers found that there were significantly more female marginal givers than men. When allowed to opt-out, men's giving dropped slightly, while women's giving fell to about half of the level of previous giving. The researchers linked this to the fact women are more likely to donate because of social pressure, whereas men are less susceptible to these same influences. 'Women may be more sensitive to social cues than men because 'men are ‘simpler’ in their thought process.' said University of Chicago professor of economics and strategy Uri Gneezy, who published a similar study about gender differences in 2009.
During the study women were seen to be more altruistic towards charities than men, yet they were more likely to try and dodge giving the charities money. Researchers concluded that this is because women feel more social pressure to donate so will avoid situations in which they feel this pressure if they can
The researchers from Chicago and California also considered the impact of people's apprehension, particularly among women, to opening the door to a stranger, yet this was discounted. List and his team found that women were just as likely to open the door as men. If security was a particularly strong concern among women, the gender differences would have appeared among the people who were contacted unannounced, he said. The results of the study are published in the May issue of the American Economic Review, Papers and Proceedings. This study also found that women were less likely to participate in surveys compared to men and concludes that women behave in this way because they have 'less dispersed distribution of altruism.' This contradicts previous research from Bolton and Katok in 1995 that found no evidence of gender differences in generosity. Eckel and Grossman in 1998 alternatively found that women share twice as much on average.
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Comments (39)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all i always feel pressured to sign up and donate yet my husband wud slam d door in their faces.i dont mind sponsoring dogs trust but concern etc...dont buy into it as they lie about how much u donate and increase it without u knowing and not what u signed up for. - tracyface , Dublin, 31/5/2013 23:53 Click to rate Report abuse men are tight. Charities play on women's guilt trips if they feel that they aren't doing something to help. I don;t give to charity in the street - if I want to give I will chose something that i feel is worth it, not be forced into it by a spotty teenager waffling at me in the street as I try to do my shopping. - Frizztops , Loughborough, 31/5/2013 14:34 Click to rate Report abuse It's all to do with evolution. Men evolved to naturally extend their hands with the palm facing down as if to give something. Women evolved to naturally extend their hands with the palm facing up as if to receive something. Rating 6 Rating 3
- Red Arrow Machine , Plymouth, United Kingdom, 31/5/2013 12:18 Click to rate Report abuse Women do not earn as much as men, and in that they are perpetually giving in charity to the whole world. - Clare , Swindon, 30/5/2013 17:05 Click to rate Report abuse So does that mean some women believe that shoe shops are charitable organisations? - ken mist , paris, 30/5/2013 15:24 Click to rate Report abuse You are right in suggesting that men are simple with regards to charity. I think men give out of expediency,they don't really worry where the money is going.Women are the opposite,they do worry about it even though they are the biggest recipients of charity directly and indirectly through the auspices of 36,000 groups who are there just for women. - boxer359 , guilliers, 30/5/2013 14:28 Click to rate Report abuse I'm quite open when asked for a donation,I do not and never will give to charity,not as long as they employ Directors on huge salaries and expenses and whilst they pay the likes of Mrs Blair to gives talks.I learned years ago that for every £1 you donated,they received 2p,never donated since.Charity is,in my view,one big scam,don't feel embarrassed to refuse,I don't.My only exception is that I do give to the Air Ambulance,RNLI and poppy day. - Hey nonny nonny , Englandland, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 10:23 Click to rate Report abuse I wouldnt say Women are tight...but yesterday my wife dropped a coin and it hit her on the back of the head. - Terry , london, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 09:51 Click to rate Report abuse I work for Charnwood Catalogue a company that supplies fundraising equipment and I can say that we have a pretty even split in terms of men and women undertaking fundraising activities... so I guess it's another one of these 'studies' that throws up a random newsworthy result (aka. nonsense). - CharnwoodCatalogue , Cardiff, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 09:13 Click to rate Report abuse most women are selfish narcissists who only love and care about themselves, they even want money for sex... they are a parasites on the backs of us men, we are waking up though, men as a whole, taking back are dignity with not wanting them to be around us sucking the life force out of us.. - mehere, buxton, 29/5/2013 18:04 oh my GOD. hahahahaha. i hope you have two dads and were Rating 11 Rating 6 Rating 13 Rating 1 Rating 15 Rating 17 Rating 15
carried in the womb by a male, as if i was your mother i would regret not having an abortion. - Zombie , Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 08:15 Click to rate Report abuse Share this comment The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Today's headlines Most Read The French may be the kings of wine, but the ITALIANS taught them everything they know, claim researchers How man has wreaked havoc on the Brazilian rainforest: Scientists find large birds have been driven out and seeds have evolved to become SMALLER due to deforestation Are DRONES the future of delivery? U.S. firm plans vast network to deliver everything from drugs to post How the turtle got its shell: The fossil that reveals the 'missing link' and shows RIBS are the key to the animal's protection Was Neil Armstrong's Ohio accent to blame for millions mishearing his famous moon landing quote? Controversial fracking technique could make the UK self-sufficient in gas for at least 15 years Is sweat the key to male teamwork? Chemical produced when men perspire is linked to their willingness to cooperate Facebook set to take on Gmail by enabling users to send private messages from the 'status' box on the homepage Dramatic rise in plant growth in world's deserts could be down to rising CO2 levels Why Homo sapiens won the battle of human survival: Neanderthals had larger eyes but less brain power to make decisions Want a pay rise? The more specific you are - to the nearest POUND - the more likely you are to get it AVATARS could be used to treat schizophrenia by helping control the voices patients hear inside their heads People suffering from sleep deprivation 'are more likely to cheat on their partners' The mind-reading computer that could communicate with coma patients: Groundbreaking system can understand answers to simple questions from brain scans Pebbles prove streams once flowed across Mars - and raise hopes of finding life on the red planet Acer unveils new gadget range including the world's first 8.1-inch tablet and a new 'phablet' Violent images in movies, TV or computer games CAN act as triggers for aggression, says new report Masterpieces of the universe: Stunning images which reveal how astronomers have mapped space through the ages MORE HEADLINES Acer unveils new gadget range including the world's first 8.1-inch tablet and a new 'phablet' Why Homo sapiens won the battle of human survival: Neanderthals had larger eyes but less brain power to make decisions Was Neil Armstrong's Ohio accent to blame for millions mishearing his famous moon landing quote? Controversial fracking technique could make the UK self-sufficient in gas for at least 15 years Facebook set to take on Gmail by enabling users to send private messages from the 'status' box on the homepage Is sweat the key to male teamwork? Chemical produced when men perspire is linked to their willingness to cooperate Want a pay rise? The more specific you are - to the nearest POUND - the more likely you are to get it Are DRONES the future of delivery? U.S. firm plans vast network to deliver everything from drugs to post Samsung officially unveils the Galaxy S4 Mini after accidentally leaking images of the new handset on its own website It's certainly going to be cosy! Scottish explorer begins his 60-day stint living inside an 8ft box on a remote islet His game, his rules: Hands on: Deadpool (Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC) How the turtle got its shell: The fossil that reveals the 'missing link' and shows RIBS are the key to the animal's protection One in 13 of us share the same bendy, tree-climbing feet as chimps but scientists can't decide if it's down to evolution or our SHOES! Masterpieces of the universe: Stunning images which reveal how astronomers have mapped space through the ages MOST READ IN DETAIL Rating 7
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Researchers found that women were more likely to try and avoid donating Say this is because women are more affected by social pressure to donate and feel more obliged to But men have a 'simpler thought process' so are more likely to donate simply because they are asked to
By Victoria Woollaston PUBLISHED: 14:51 GMT, 29 May 2013 | UPDATED: 14:55 GMT, 29 May 2013
54 shares 39 View comments
Women are more likely than men to dodge an opportunity to donate to charity, researchers have claimed. Although women and men were seen as equally generous when approached for money without prior warning, when the sexes were given the option to opt-out before being asked, women were more likely than men to take this opportunity. The researchers, from the University of Chicago and University of California Berkeley, say this is because women feel under more social pressure to donate, because they can recognise social clues better than men, and will avoid this pressure where possible.
Given the chance, women are more likely than men to dodge an opportunity to donate to charity
ATTRACTIVE WOMEN MAKE MEN MORE GENEROUS
Research from Sheffield Hallam University found that men are more likely to be generous when there are attractive women nearby. And more the more attractive the woman, the more selfless the man becomes. In the first study, 65 men and 65 women with an average age of 21 anonymously played a game in which they could donate money via a computer program to a group fund. The donations were selfless as the participant would not necessarily benefit from them but all other players would. While playing the game, each participant was then watched by either an attractive man or an attractive woman. The study found that the male players did more good deeds when observed by the woman. But there was no parallel effect for the women, and women performed the same number of deeds regardless of the sex of the person observing them. Men, on the other hand, don't recognise social clues and have a 'simpler thought process' so are more likely to donate simply because they were asked to. The study tested people's motivations to donate and whether they responded to social pressure or from an attitude of altruism, or selflessness. To do this, Professor John List, University Chicago economist and expert of philanthropy and his team visited neighborhoods in Chicago that were considered to be affluent. The team said they were raising money for a local children's hospital.
In the first part of the study the visits were unannounced. In the second part of the study flyers were put through the residents' doors announcing the fundraising team would be visiting the following day. Another flyer was put through the doors of a third group of people with the option to opt-out of giving the team money. Results showed that generosity, measured by the amount of money donated, was relatively equal between men and women when subjects were given no warning of the visit - around three percent for both sexes. In fact women donated in slightly more cases.
The economists found that men and women were equally generous when randomly asked to donate to charity. Yet, when the sexes could choose to opt-out of giving money to the same charity, women were more likely to dodge the donation compared to men
However, when subjects were given the chance to opt-out of donating, the 'marginal givers' would do so. In the study, marginal givers are defined as those who would donate but only if persuaded, and not otherwise. The researchers found that there were significantly more female marginal givers than men. When allowed to opt-out, men's giving dropped slightly, while women's giving fell to about half of the level of previous giving. The researchers linked this to the fact women are more likely to donate because of social pressure, whereas men are less susceptible to these same influences. 'Women may be more sensitive to social cues than men because 'men are ‘simpler’ in their thought process.' said University of Chicago professor of economics and strategy Uri Gneezy, who published a similar study about gender differences in 2009.
During the study women were seen to be more altruistic towards charities than men, yet they were more likely to try and dodge giving the charities money. Researchers concluded that this is because women feel more social pressure to donate so will avoid situations in which they feel this pressure if they can
The researchers from Chicago and California also considered the impact of people's apprehension, particularly among women, to opening the door to a stranger, yet this was discounted. List and his team found that women were just as likely to open the door as men. If security was a particularly strong concern among women, the gender differences would have appeared among the people who were contacted unannounced, he said. The results of the study are published in the May issue of the American Economic Review, Papers and Proceedings. This study also found that women were less likely to participate in surveys compared to men and concludes that women behave in this way because they have 'less dispersed distribution of altruism.' This contradicts previous research from Bolton and Katok in 1995 that found no evidence of gender differences in generosity. Eckel and Grossman in 1998 alternatively found that women share twice as much on average.
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Comments (39)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all i always feel pressured to sign up and donate yet my husband wud slam d door in their faces.i dont mind sponsoring dogs trust but concern etc...dont buy into it as they lie about how much u donate and increase it without u knowing and not what u signed up for. - tracyface , Dublin, 31/5/2013 23:53 Click to rate Report abuse men are tight. Charities play on women's guilt trips if they feel that they aren't doing something to help. I don;t give to charity in the street - if I want to give I will chose something that i feel is worth it, not be forced into it by a spotty teenager waffling at me in the street as I try to do my shopping. - Frizztops , Loughborough, 31/5/2013 14:34 Click to rate Report abuse It's all to do with evolution. Men evolved to naturally extend their hands with the palm facing down as if to give something. Women evolved to naturally extend their hands with the palm facing up as if to receive something. Rating 6 Rating 3
- Red Arrow Machine , Plymouth, United Kingdom, 31/5/2013 12:18 Click to rate Report abuse Women do not earn as much as men, and in that they are perpetually giving in charity to the whole world. - Clare , Swindon, 30/5/2013 17:05 Click to rate Report abuse So does that mean some women believe that shoe shops are charitable organisations? - ken mist , paris, 30/5/2013 15:24 Click to rate Report abuse You are right in suggesting that men are simple with regards to charity. I think men give out of expediency,they don't really worry where the money is going.Women are the opposite,they do worry about it even though they are the biggest recipients of charity directly and indirectly through the auspices of 36,000 groups who are there just for women. - boxer359 , guilliers, 30/5/2013 14:28 Click to rate Report abuse I'm quite open when asked for a donation,I do not and never will give to charity,not as long as they employ Directors on huge salaries and expenses and whilst they pay the likes of Mrs Blair to gives talks.I learned years ago that for every £1 you donated,they received 2p,never donated since.Charity is,in my view,one big scam,don't feel embarrassed to refuse,I don't.My only exception is that I do give to the Air Ambulance,RNLI and poppy day. - Hey nonny nonny , Englandland, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 10:23 Click to rate Report abuse I wouldnt say Women are tight...but yesterday my wife dropped a coin and it hit her on the back of the head. - Terry , london, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 09:51 Click to rate Report abuse I work for Charnwood Catalogue a company that supplies fundraising equipment and I can say that we have a pretty even split in terms of men and women undertaking fundraising activities... so I guess it's another one of these 'studies' that throws up a random newsworthy result (aka. nonsense). - CharnwoodCatalogue , Cardiff, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 09:13 Click to rate Report abuse most women are selfish narcissists who only love and care about themselves, they even want money for sex... they are a parasites on the backs of us men, we are waking up though, men as a whole, taking back are dignity with not wanting them to be around us sucking the life force out of us.. - mehere, buxton, 29/5/2013 18:04 oh my GOD. hahahahaha. i hope you have two dads and were Rating 11 Rating 6 Rating 13 Rating 1 Rating 15 Rating 17 Rating 15
carried in the womb by a male, as if i was your mother i would regret not having an abortion. - Zombie , Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, 30/5/2013 08:15 Click to rate Report abuse Share this comment The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Today's headlines Most Read The French may be the kings of wine, but the ITALIANS taught them everything they know, claim researchers How man has wreaked havoc on the Brazilian rainforest: Scientists find large birds have been driven out and seeds have evolved to become SMALLER due to deforestation Are DRONES the future of delivery? U.S. firm plans vast network to deliver everything from drugs to post How the turtle got its shell: The fossil that reveals the 'missing link' and shows RIBS are the key to the animal's protection Was Neil Armstrong's Ohio accent to blame for millions mishearing his famous moon landing quote? Controversial fracking technique could make the UK self-sufficient in gas for at least 15 years Is sweat the key to male teamwork? Chemical produced when men perspire is linked to their willingness to cooperate Facebook set to take on Gmail by enabling users to send private messages from the 'status' box on the homepage Dramatic rise in plant growth in world's deserts could be down to rising CO2 levels Why Homo sapiens won the battle of human survival: Neanderthals had larger eyes but less brain power to make decisions Want a pay rise? The more specific you are - to the nearest POUND - the more likely you are to get it AVATARS could be used to treat schizophrenia by helping control the voices patients hear inside their heads People suffering from sleep deprivation 'are more likely to cheat on their partners' The mind-reading computer that could communicate with coma patients: Groundbreaking system can understand answers to simple questions from brain scans Pebbles prove streams once flowed across Mars - and raise hopes of finding life on the red planet Acer unveils new gadget range including the world's first 8.1-inch tablet and a new 'phablet' Violent images in movies, TV or computer games CAN act as triggers for aggression, says new report Masterpieces of the universe: Stunning images which reveal how astronomers have mapped space through the ages MORE HEADLINES Acer unveils new gadget range including the world's first 8.1-inch tablet and a new 'phablet' Why Homo sapiens won the battle of human survival: Neanderthals had larger eyes but less brain power to make decisions Was Neil Armstrong's Ohio accent to blame for millions mishearing his famous moon landing quote? Controversial fracking technique could make the UK self-sufficient in gas for at least 15 years Facebook set to take on Gmail by enabling users to send private messages from the 'status' box on the homepage Is sweat the key to male teamwork? Chemical produced when men perspire is linked to their willingness to cooperate Want a pay rise? The more specific you are - to the nearest POUND - the more likely you are to get it Are DRONES the future of delivery? U.S. firm plans vast network to deliver everything from drugs to post Samsung officially unveils the Galaxy S4 Mini after accidentally leaking images of the new handset on its own website It's certainly going to be cosy! Scottish explorer begins his 60-day stint living inside an 8ft box on a remote islet His game, his rules: Hands on: Deadpool (Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC) How the turtle got its shell: The fossil that reveals the 'missing link' and shows RIBS are the key to the animal's protection One in 13 of us share the same bendy, tree-climbing feet as chimps but scientists can't decide if it's down to evolution or our SHOES! Masterpieces of the universe: Stunning images which reveal how astronomers have mapped space through the ages MOST READ IN DETAIL Rating 7
GADGET REVIEWS
Gadget of the week: Gemini JoyTAB Duo 9.7 Pro Whilst a 10” tablet would usually set consumers back at least £300, Gemini’s 10” tablet comes in at half that price at a very affordable £149.99. It packs a punch, too. Bowers and Wilkins P3 headphones You won't want to open the P3 headphones. For the packaging is so elegant, it feels like you're ruining a piece of art. Yet that's the best way to describe the P3s...art.
Jabra Sport Wireless Bluetooth headphones Sports headphones are a tricky proposition for manufacturers, but Jabra make a decent fist of it with this wireless Bluetooth headset which is light yet well built. LifeProof iPhone case Cracking your iPhone screen is one of the most annoying things you can do. Thankfully, the new LifeProof iPhone case will make this a thing of the past. Jabra Revo Wireless Bluetooth headphones Sleek, stylish and boasting strong audio quality, the Jabra Revo Wireless Bluetooth headphones are something of a complete package. If slightly expensive. iLuv ReF headphones In the current headphone market, quality sound is not enough. Consumers want both fashion and function, and that's where the iLuv headphones come in. Tritton Warhead 7.1 (Xbox 360) Beauty, brawn and a blistering sound quality. Tritton’s latest, fully licenced, exclusive Xbox 360 headset is a joy to behold from the moment you begin unboxing. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group © Associated Newspapers Ltd
