MORE AUTHENTIC, NOT MORE MORAL: EFFECTS OF CHARITABLE GIVER’S SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND SELF-INTEREST ON OTHERS’ MORAL JUDGEMENT

Abstract

Donor characteristics, such as socioeconomic status (SES) and self-interest influence others’ moral judgement of charitable giving. In-line with literature, this study hypothesized that low-SES donors, particularly welfare-recipient donors, will be judged to be less moral than high-SES donors. Additionally, self-interested donors will be judged to be less moral than non-self-interested donors. Two hundred and thirteen National University of Singapore undergraduates were recruited for a 3 x 2 between-subjects design. Participants read a profile containing donor’s SES and potential self-interest for donating. Participants then judged the donor across 12 positive and negative moral traits. To understand the factors driving such moral judgements, participants also judged the donor’s selfishness, authentic prosocial motivation and deservingness to spend money. There was no support for the hypothesis that donor’s SES and self-interest affected others’ moral judgement of charitable giving. Participants who have or had personal experience with leukemic patients judged donors to be less selfish and more authentically motivated. Among low-SES donors, self-interested donors were judged to be more authentically motivated than non-self-interested donors. Low-SES self-interested donors were also judged as more authentically motivated than welfare-recipient self-interested donors. The importance of examining donor characteristics and practical implications of donor impression managements are discussed.