Gender and charity
of camaraderie can make people feel more secure in their self when with a close group, allowing them to feel greater empathy for those in need. It was noted that people dressing in more extravagant clothes, such as designer,s were more likely to donate. Also, people who wore crosses and pieces of religious adornment were more willing to listen to the cause. It must also be noted that some variables may have slightly altered the magnitude of donations we received. Two seventeen-year-olds were collecting donations, but if an adult were to do the same, I predict they would receive fewer donations. Age is an important factor in society and no data was collected on age of donors in the experiment. All in all, the hypothesis was proven accurate. However, through conducting the experiment, it was clear there are other factors at work when it comes to donating and charitability.
Conclusion
From birth we are all variously moulded by society, so of course, as our mind is shaped, so is our willingness to do things. It is argued by some scientists that women experience emotions more strongly than men, because of hormonal differences. However, these differences have knock-on effects on the mind. Women are more egalitarian and engage in reciprocal behaviour, whereas men are more competitive (Croson & Gneezy, 2009). Furthermore, women view philanthropy as a way to show their caring and express their moral beliefs (Newman, 1995), whether that be to meet the expectations pushed on them by society to be more altruistic or for good they believe in. There are many reasons which drive the act of ‘giving’. A person may give for the sake of being good, because they must, or because their beliefs encourage them to. Questions are posed such as ‘would she do this? ’, ‘what would a good person do? ’ and the answer to th ese questions changes significantly from person to person. Upbringing, circumstances, wealth – all affect the answers to these questions. An array of answers can be produced forming a spectrum of opinions and mindsets. However, above all else, the factor that changes people’s mindset and psyche the most and can at times act as a pivot in this spectrum of giving, that sparks the greatest attention in modern day politics and philosophy, is gender.
References
Gender differences in charitable giving (wiley.com)
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