In 2025, political orientetion influences our donations. After the distinction between left and right, a study shows that the generosity of the French pits conservatives against liberals. The former are inclined to donate to associations close to home that solve problems. The latter donate to social justice projects that bring about change or progress.
In a context of growing political polarisation, our choices as consumers are increasingly intertwined with our beliefs. Marketing expert Benjamin Bœuf points out that consumers prefer brands that demonstrate a political stance similar to their own. This is pushing companies to incorporate this criterion into their marketing strategy, or to take a stance on social issues.
But this impact goes far beyond our purchasing decisions. Our political preferences also shape our impulses for generosity and the causes we choose to support. This influence can be explained in part by the fact that our political orientation reflects our own moral values, which guide our actions and choices.
Through our research, we have identified three major trends that reveal how these policy orientations influence donor behaviour: the framing of the message, the proximity of the beneficiary and the underlying sense of social justice, and the approach of the charitable organisation. To do this, we conducted a series of studies manipulating communications from charities, measuring the effect on the propensity to donate.
Conservative vs Liberal vision
Beyond individual preferences for certain parties, studies on political orientation by American social psychologist John Tost highlight the polarity between conservatives and liberals, also described by the distinction between left and right. Liberals believe that everyone should be free to pursue their own development and that society should be organised with social justice in mind. Conversely, Conservatives believe that human beings are fundamentally individualistic and that life in society therefore requires structures and rules governing individual freedom.
This political stance shapes how people view society and the role of individuals within the collective. According to psychology professor Graham, a conservative outlook places greater emphasis on individual responsibility and preserving existing social structures. A liberal view values collective responsibility and initiatives aimed at correcting systemic inequalities. Liberal political orientation can therefore be measured by asking respondents to indicate their level of agreement with statements such as ‘I tend to oppose authority’. Respondents will be asked to indicate their agreement with statements such as ‘I believe that law enforcement should be strengthened.’ These fundamental differences directly influence the type of charitable organisations to which individuals choose to donate.
Avoiding danger vs. change
People with conservative political views are more attracted to organisations that communicate about avoiding danger or solving problems. ‘Your donation will help us protect populations from the risk of epidemics’ or ‘your gesture will enable us to take action to protect our planet’. These messages, focused on protection or safety, resonate particularly well with this audience.
Conversely, individuals with liberal political leanings favour causes that highlight positive opportunities for change or progress, with an emphasis on optimism and improvement. ‘Help us create a greener world’ or ‘Let's take up the challenge of social equality together’.
Change vs avoidance
In order to demonstrate this preference, we conducted an experiment with 150 respondents in which participants completed a questionnaire about their political orientation. Following this, they were asked to support an association whose message we varied across three groups:
- A neutral message describing the organisation's activity
- A message focused on avoidance
- A message focused on progress
The probability that a liberal-minded person will donate to a cause presented in terms of progress is 85%, compared to 30% for conservatives receiving the same message. On the other hand, messages emphasising protection or risk avoidance increase the probability of donation to over 60% for conservatives, compared to 36% for progressives.
Cause close to our daily life
Conservatives show a preference for causes where the beneficiary is perceived as being close to them, whether culturally, geographically or socially. To confirm this hypothesis, we gave a questionnaire on political orientation to 243 respondents. Following this, we asked them to support a charitable organisation through a donation.
In one group, the charity was described as helping people in the respondent's city, while in the other group, we presented the same charity for another country. When a conservative receives a communication presenting a beneficiary they consider to be close to them, the probability of making a donation is 73%, compared to 68% when the beneficiary is distant.
Social justice
On the other hand, liberals are more motivated by causes focused on social justice. The challenge is to address inequalities or support marginalised groups, such as helping the homeless or fighting drug abuse. These issues are central because they represent the main missions of social charities.
To demonstrate this trend, we administered a questionnaire on political orientation to 270 participants. After completing the questionnaire, they were invited to support a charitable organisation by making a pledge to donate.
For one group, the organisation was presented as fighting for equal treatment between men and women, while for another group, it was presented as fighting against abuse and cruelty towards domestic animals. The results indicate that, among liberal respondents, the probability of donating reaches 76% when the cause is related to social justice, compared to 58% when it is not explicitly so.
Targeting donors
These findings offer charities a real opportunity to optimise their communications. By better understanding the differences in outlook between conservative and liberal audiences, they can tailor their messages to maximise their impact.
A campaign aimed at a conservative audience could, for example, emphasise issues of security or the preservation of local values. On the other hand, communications aimed at a progressive audience would benefit from highlighting innovative projects or initiatives to reduce social inequalities.
By better targeting their donors, organisations can not only increase their effectiveness, but also ensure that their message resonates deeply with their audiences' beliefs. In an increasingly polarised world, this ability to tailor communication is becoming a key asset in mobilising lasting support.
This article by Etienne Denis – Assistant Professor at EDHEC and Director of the MSc in Marketing Analytics, Thomas Leclercq – Full Professor at IESEG, and Steven Hoornaert – Assistant Professor at IESEG, has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.
