Donating to the ‘right’ cause: Compatibility of personal values and mission statements of philanthropic organizations fosters prosocial behavior

Abstract

According to the Schwartz value model, personal values relate to each other in a circumplex way, such that adjunctive values are compatible, while opposing values are conflicting. Thus, relations of values to other constructs should reveal a sinusoidal pattern. We examined how the complete value system relates to preferences for specific philanthropic foundations reflected in willingness to donate to philanthropic organizations that differed in value characteristics in their mission statements. Findings revealed a sinusoidal pattern in the relations of values to the amount donated to philanthropic organizations, indicating that values seem to foster donations to philanthropic organizations which promote compatible values. We conclude that prosocial behavior is not exclusively driven by prosocial values; rather, values like stimulation and achievement can be relevant as well and influence prosocial behavior (i.e., donating) if they are compatible with the values reflected in philanthropic organizations' mission statements.