پرداختن به آفریقا و برداشت از فقر

We conduct two simple experiments in which student participants are invited to give some of the money that they have earned to an international development charity for use in one of two African countries. In the between-groups experiment, participants are given the opportunity to donate to one country only. They are matched randomly with a country, and are given information about why that country might be poor; the information varies between the two treatments. In the within-group experiment, participants are given the opportunity to donate to either or both of the countries, and are given all of the information. Analysis of the results indicates that the effect of the difference in experimental design on the decisions made depends partly on observable participant characteristics. The results can be interpreted in terms of a model incorporating self-image.

What motivates people to give money to international development charities? Does it matter to potential donors why the recipient country is poor? To what extent does the level of charity depend on individual characteristics, such as gender, interest in world affairs, or participation in social group activities? This paper seeks to analyze all of these questions using a set of Dictator Game experiments.