title: Cultural Differences in Donation Decision-Making.
abstract: Decisions to help those in need are essential for human development and survival. Previous studies have demonstrated the "identified effect", in which one identifiable individual typically invokes stronger feelings of compassion and receives greater aid than statistical victim. However, this preference might be influenced by cultural differences. In the current study, Chinese respondents' ratings of distress and sympathy and their willingness to contribute are greater for a group of sick children than an individual. In the U.S., greater willingness to help and sympathy are elicited by an identified victim in comparison with an unidentified one. The different results may demonstrate the importance of cultural differences when trying to understand people's prosocial behavior.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Center for Social and Behavioral Studies, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yi-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Jinjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D003657:Decision Making; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans