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Does Implicit Color Bias Reduce Giving? Learnings from Fundraising Survey Using Implicit Association Test (IAT)

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Abstract

This article explores the relationship between implicit (unconscious) color bias and giving by answering the research question: How does a donor’s implicit color biases affect giving to beneficiaries living in develo** countries? The study draws from a fundraising survey consisting of 750 participants measuring their implicit biases using the Skin-tone Implicit Association Test (IAT) and their willingness to give along with their sociodemographic data. The findings show higher implicit color biases reduce the probability of giving a higher donation (more than $10). The results provide important new evidence about the negative relationship between implicit color bias and giving and highlight ethical concerns regarding the portrayal of beneficiaries in fundraising advertisements.

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Notes

  1. All files including R scripts, tutorials, and other documentation related to iatgen can be found at Open Science Framework https://osf.io/nf6vj/ and available freely for academic use under a Creative Commons license.

  2. Cutoff points for the dependent variable willingness to give is based on average 3–5% annual giving in the USA for different income brackets (Schervish et al. 2006). For the purpose of this research, approximate annual giving based on income is further divided into monthly giving assuming individuals make once a month decision to give.

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  1. Department of Political Science, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, USA

    Abhishek Bhati

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Bhati, A. Does Implicit Color Bias Reduce Giving? Learnings from Fundraising Survey Using Implicit Association Test (IAT). Voluntas 32, 340–350 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-020-00277-8

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