Implicit causal accounting vs. Explicit causal accounting

Abstract

Most altruistic projects are collaborative, but the division of responsibility among contributors is rarely explicit. Certificates of impact, which force an explicit allocation of responsibility, could make it easier to determine a reasonable allocation and adjust it based on resource availability. This allocation is relevant to decisions about spending time and money on altruistic activities, especially when weighing the relative importance of funding versus manpower. Additionally, explicit causal accounting could improve incentives for organizations and volunteers by aligning their motives with accurate decision-making. However, it could also lead to decreased altruistic activity if people become less optimistic about their impact. – AI-generated abstract.