AID POLICY: Blame game influences charitable giving

BANGKOK, 19 May 2011 (IRIN) - Why has Save the Children's US$40 million global appeal for conflict-affected Côte d'Ivoire only brought in $225,000, when its campaign for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan raised $25 million, exceeding the $20 million target? It could be that individual donors are placing blame, new research says.

Traditionally, the decisions of individuals responding to emergency appeals have been linked to variables such as media coverage and geographical preferences, but the perceived cause of a disaster can also influence giving patterns, according to Hanna Zagefka, a researcher with the department of psychology at Royal Holloway University of London.

People are quick to assume and accuse and, thus less likely to favour man-made crises, she told IRIN.

The study suggested that a famine perceived to be caused by drought would lead people to donate more than one caused by the misuse of land or government corruption. At the same time, a tsunami or other natural disaster would likely attract stronger levels of assistance than a crisis such as Darfur, which typically would be understood as man-made.

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