Disentangling prosociality from virtue signalling

Stage: Design stage, grant proposal submitted to British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants

Authors: Hamideh Mohtashami Borzadaran, Konstantinos Ioannidis, Johannes Lohse

Abstract: The charitable sector relies heavily on funding to drive impactful change, with social media platforms offering new avenues for engagement and support. However, public displays of support, like liking or sharing posts, may not translate into tangible donations, potentially crowding out more impactful forms of support. Our research investigates whether these cheaper forms of support fulfill the need for social approval, leading to missed donation opportunities for charities. We aim to explore if signaling support raises awareness but deters actual donations. In our online experiment with partnering charities, participants choose to donate, pledge support, or combine both actions. We hypothesize that the availability of both options may satisfy the need for social approval, reducing donation rates. We also examine variations in participant decisions based on observation timing, exploring self-perception and signaling nuances. Our findings will provide insights for campaign managers and charities, revealing if social media pledges can crowd out intrinsic motivations to donate and suggesting strategies to optimize fundraising efforts.