A research group from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Vilnius University, in collaboration with international scholars, presents three new studies in social psychology and consumer behavior. These studies reveal unexpected strategies that can encourage people to donate to charity, change their lifestyle, and engage in socially responsible initiatives. All three studies are currently under review in prestigious international scientific journals.
Resistance Can Encourage Giving
Study: Fennis, B. M., Uzdavinyte, E., Barsyte, J., Kokoris, M. (2025). Wouldn’t you like to donate? Mobilizing resistance to promote compliance with charitable requests. Personality and Individual Differences (under review).
It is commonly believed that resistance is a barrier that must be overcome. However, this study shows the opposite — when properly managed, resistance can actually encourage positive actions. The study found that when people are prompted to consciously acknowledge and name their doubts and objections regarding charitable giving, they often find it easier to decide to donate.
This effect is particularly strong among individuals who generally have a more positive outlook on life. These people struggle to come up with convincing reasons not to donate, making their decision to give feel more natural. The findings support the "ease-of-retrieval" theory: when it is difficult to generate counterarguments, taking action (such as donating) becomes easier and more likely.
This study offers valuable insights for charitable organizations, advertising professionals, and social responsibility campaigns on how to develop more effective communication strategies.
Inspiration from Those Who Have Changed Their Own Lives
Study: Uzdavinyte, E., Barsyte, J., Kokoris, M., Ruzeviciute, R., Fennis B. M. (2025). If They Can, I Can Too: How Stories of Attainable Transformation Promote Openness to Change. Journal of Business Research (under review).
The more we can identify with a person, the more powerfully their story can influence us. This study found that people are more inspired by those who have successfully changed their own unhealthy habits — for example, who adopted healthy eating after years of poor diet — than by those who have always lived healthily.
Across three experiments, it was shown that "convert" stories seem more real, more attainable, and encourage people to believe that change is possible for everyone. However, the study also emphasized that it matters who is telling the story. When very popular social media influencers (macro-influencers) share their transformation stories, their impact is often weaker because people perceive their lives as unattainable. Meanwhile, stories from micro-influencers — those with smaller followings — have a stronger effect because people find it easier to identify with them.
These insights are especially relevant for public health campaigns, social advertising, and behavior change initiatives.
The Sound of a Heartbeat Encourages Giving
Study: Ruzeviciute, R., Kaminskiene, Z., Kokkoris, M., Barsyte, J., Fennis, B. (2025). The Sound of Giving: How Auditory Heartbeat Influences Donation Behavior. Journal of Advertising (under review).
Can giving have a sound? This question has received a positive answer — the sound of a heartbeat in charity advertisements can indeed motivate people to donate.
Across six experiments conducted in different countries and various contexts — from encouraging blood donation to supporting lonely seniors and war veterans — it was consistently found that ads featuring the sound of a heartbeat prompted a stronger willingness to donate compared to ads with other sounds.
The study revealed that the sound of a heartbeat strengthens emotional connection, evokes empathy, and helps people better immerse themselves in the situation of the person in need. This effect was particularly strong among people who are naturally more empathetic.
These findings offer valuable insights for charity organizations in creating more impactful communication campaigns that successfully inspire meaningful action.
The Significance of the Research
All three studies emphasize the importance of emotions, identification, and psychological mechanisms in decision-making. They not only expand scientific understanding of consumer behavior but also provide practical recommendations that can be applied in social advertising, public campaigns, and business strategies.
The authors of the studies hope that these insights will contribute to the development of more effective communication strategies and encourage the broader use of scientifically grounded methods to promote socially meaningful and responsible behavior.
This project has received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), agreement No S-MIP-22-65