Scope insensitivity

Abstract

Human beings exhibit scope insensitivity, meaning that they are not sensitive to the magnitude of a problem when making decisions. This means that they are equally willing to pay to save a small number of lives or a large number of lives, as long as the emotional impact of the situation is similar. Several studies have shown that people are more likely to donate to a charity that is focused on saving a single identifiable victim than to one that is focused on saving a large number of anonymous victims. This insensitivity to scope is also evident in people’s responses to public goods, such as environmental protection or disaster preparedness. – AI-generated abstract.