← Search

Not Too Far to Help: Residential Mobility, Global Identity, and Donations to Distant Beneficiaries

Yajin Wang¹; Amna Kirmani²; Xiaolin Li³

¹ assistant professor of marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA · ² Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA · ³ assistant professor of marketing at London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK

Abstract Extant research shows that consumers are more likely to donate to close than distant others, making donations to geographically distant beneficiaries a challenge. This article introduces residential mobility as a novel variable that can lead to increased donations toward distant beneficiaries. This article proposes that residential mobility (vs. stability) leads consumers to have a stronger global identity, whereby they see themselves as world citizens. This global identity results in higher donations to distant beneficiaries. A multi-method approach provides evidence for this prediction. An analysis of a national panel dataset demonstrates that high residential mobility is correlated with donations to distant beneficiaries. Lab experiments, including one with real monetary donations, replicate these effects using both actual moving experience and a residential mobility mindset.

DOI

10.1093/jcr/ucaa053

Volume

47 (6)

Pages

878-889

Language

en

Export

BibTeX

Sources

crossref