Scope (in)sensitivity in elicited valuations

Abstract

People are more willing to help a single, identifiable victim than a group of victims experiencing the same need. This is known as the “singularity effect.” This study examines the effect of culture and values on the singularity effect. Three studies were conducted to examine the singularity effect in the context of helping decisions. Study 1, using Bedouin and Western Israeli participants, found that the singularity effect was only present among Western Israelis. Study 2, using only Western Israeli participants, found that individuals with higher collectivist values were more likely to contribute to a group of victims. Finally, Study 3 manipulated the salience of individualistic or collectivist values using a priming technique and found that enhancing people’s collectivist values produced similar donations to single victims and groups. The interaction between the priming conditions and singularity of the recipient was mediated by participants’ collectivist preferences. These findings suggest that the singularity effect is less pronounced in collectivist cultures or among individuals with higher collectivist values compared with people with lower collectivist values. – AI-generated abstract