Examining Personal Values and Regulatory Fit in Poverty Alleviation Appeals: Impact on Appeal Evaluations, Campaign Interest, and Donations

Abstract

Self-regulatory focus affects responses to persuasive messages, and personal values influence charity donation decisions. We examined joint effects by measuring participants’ (a) promotion focus on aspirations/gains versus prevention focus on obligations/losses and (b) prioritization of the refined universalism-concern value. Participants read a promotion- or prevention-framed appeal to act on poverty, emphasizing universalism-concern by highlighting poverty related inequality. They evaluated the appeal, stated whether they wanted to receive campaign materials, and could donate part of their remuneration to charities targeting poverty alleviation or other causes. Participants not reporting recent financial hardship and prioritizing universalism-concern evaluated the promotion-framed appeal more favorably the stronger their promotion focus was, but this fit effect did not emerge when including participants who would personally benefit from the campaign’s success. Moreover, only universalism-concern value prioritization predicted interest in campaign materials and donations. Overall, when advocating for poverty alleviation, emphasizing universalism-concern values seems advisable.