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Do materialistic individuals donate less? Exploring the moderating effect of the need to belong in monetary donations to volunteering groups

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Abstract

This study explored the moderating effect of the need to belong in the relationship between materialism and the percentage of money donated to volunteering groups. The main assumption of this paper was that materialistic individuals donate less money even when they are impelled by the need to belong. A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was carried out to analyze this relationship. Data from 163 undergraduate students of a higher education institution in the south of Brazil was collected through a survey. The results obtained show that the need to belong moderates and reinforces the negative effect of materialism in the percentage of money donated. The search for status and social recognition are possible explanations of the effect noted.

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Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.

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Correspondence to Francine Zanin Bagatini.

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Bagatini, F.Z., Vaz, E.R.D., Petkowicz, A.C. et al. Do materialistic individuals donate less? Exploring the moderating effect of the need to belong in monetary donations to volunteering groups. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 19, 805–818 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-021-00328-w

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