Effects of Moral Claims on Charitable Support for the Stigmatized

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this research, we examine the extent to which charitable support for the stigmatized can be enhanced by a moral claim, which occurs when a stigmatized person is attributed an unselfish (versus self-interested) motive for a socially desirable behavior. We find that prospective donors infer a more positive morality when a moral claim is made about a stigmatized person in need, which leads to a greater willingness to provide them with charitable support. The effect does not occur when the same moral claim is made for a person in equivalent need who is accepted or honored in society. We find that moral claims are effective when based on unsubstantiated statements about a mentally ill person’s morality (Study 1), when a drug thief volunteers to help flood victims, rather than helps them as part of her employment (Study 2), and when a homeless criminal returns a lost wallet to do the right thing, rather than to receive a reward (Study 3). The research contributes to our understanding of the role of moral judgments that lead to social rejection and provides insights into how the negative stereotypes that affect the stigmatized can be changed.