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Deciding to give to charity: a focus group study in the context of the household economy
Author(s) -
Burgoyne Carole B.,
Young Brian,
Walker Catherine M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of community and applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.042
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1099-1298
pISSN - 1052-9284
DOI - 10.1002/casp.832
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , donation , autonomy , focus group , position (finance) , variety (cybernetics) , style (visual arts) , economics , social psychology , sociology , business , marketing , psychology , finance , political science , economic growth , law , archaeology , history , paleontology , artificial intelligence , computer science , biology
Research on charitable giving has tended to examine either the individual characteristics of donors, or those of households. However, both approaches overlook the interactive processes that take place within households which may influence charitable donation in a variety of ways. For example, the system of financial organisation adopted by a couple can set limits on the degree of individual financial autonomy, and this in turn can influence the financial decision‐making of each partner. This paper presents the results of a study that examined charitable decision‐making within the context of household financial behaviour. It investigated whether such decisions tend to be individual or joint, and the extent to which they are regarded as an integral part of household financial management. Six focus groups were carried out with people who were currently married or living with a partner. The results suggest that charitable giving is dealt with in accordance with the style of money management of the household, although it occupies a more marginal position than other items of expenditure. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.