The usual tendency is to pay attention to the benefits that recipients get when a donation is made. But the reality of the situation is that givers do receive certain benefits from the simple act of giving. At the same time, people who give cut across a wide spectrum: some are financially comfortable, others are not. Some are religious, and some are atheists. To understand the reasons and motivations behind giving, we can explore the psychology of giving and its benefits.
Do we donate because we’re wealthy?
When it comes to financial donations, people can give generously. For instance, Statista’s record of average charity donations per charitable giver in England for 2020-21 was £27 a month.
This generous sum was given while the pandemic was on-going. On the other hand, Guardian’s 2021 report on the charity donations of Britain’s top earners showed reduced donations even though their wealth increased by 10%.
Thus, the motivation for giving financial aid is not necessarily from being wealthy.
Why people donate to charity
The psychology behind charity donations can be complex since it often extends beyond a single motivating factor. A survey of over 700 donors as conducted by the Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) revealed some motivating factors for charity donations:
- Altruism: 96% gave out of a sense of duty, morality, and ethics.
- Identification with specific causes: 75% felt passionate about something that held meaning for them.
- Religious beliefs: 71% cited their religious values as their motivation to give.
- Personal experiences: 61% attributed their motivation to life-changing experiences such as experiencing hardship or suffering the loss of loved ones.
- Other diverse reasons: Other motivating factors for giving included satisfaction derived from giving, the wish to leave a positive legacy, and wanting to support charities.
Just from being asked
Interestingly, another reason some people give is simply because they were asked to. A study written by Rene Bekkers and Pamala Wiepking and published in Psychology Today revealed that 85% of American donors gave because others asked them to.
Driven by social dynamics
Not to parrot the “monkey see, monkey do” mantra, but there is a tendency for people to give when they see others doing so. For instance, seeing others make crypto donations through CryptoDonateNow.org, they may be stimulated to donate as well.
Giving for maximum impact
Finally, many people are motivated to give when they see the huge impact that giving can make in the lives of those in urgent need. After all, success stories of crypto donations abound to motivate us all.
Begin your crypto giving journey today at CryptoDonateNow.org.
