Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

When Public Recognition For Charitable Giving Backfires: The Role Of Independent Self-Construal, Bonnie Simpson, Katherine White, Juliano Laran

Management and Organizational Studies Publications

This research examines the effectiveness of public recognition in encouraging charitable giving, demonstrating that public recognition can sometimes decrease donations. While previous work has largely shown that making donations visible to others can motivate donors, the present research shows that the effectiveness of public recognition depends on whether potential donors are under an independent (i.e., separate from others) or interdependent (i.e., connected with others) self-construal. Across seven experimental studies, an independent self-construal decreases donation intentions and amounts when the donor will receive public recognition compared to when the donation will remain private. This effect is driven by the activation of …