All We Need is Love: Examining Differences in Time and Money Donations between Dyads and Individuals

Donations of both time and money are critical for societal wellbeing: in 2013, the dollar estimate of the annual volunteered time in the U.S. was $167 billion and the total monetary donations were $335 billion. Time and money donations have important benefits for consumers’ personal well-being as well: consumers who donate monetary/time resources are happier, have higher life satisfaction, self-esteem, better physical and mental health (Thoits & Hewitt, 2001). In the present research, we focus on the joint pro-social behavior of pairs of consumers (dyads) and compare it to that of individual consumers. Specifically, we examine whether there are differences between dyads and individuals in their donations of time and money – two fundamental resources in consumers’ lives (Liu & Aaker, 2008). We propose that while dyads and individuals will make similar monetary donations, dyads will donate less time than individuals. We base this prediction in the functionalist model of donations proposed by Clary and colleagues (1998, 1999), who argue that donating time serves six personal/social functions: ego protection (cope with life difficulties), value expression (express altruistic values), career growth (improve career prospects), knowledge (gain knowledge/ skills), self-enhancement (enhance self-growth), and, most importantly, social motives (develop/strengthen social ties). To the extent that these needs are active and unmet, people will be more likely to donate time.