Explaining the Gender Gap in Charitable Giving

Relative to other industrialized, Western nations, the United States is uniquely reliant on nongovernmental organizations to provide public goods, including relief services for the poor. Research on charitable provision, however, finds a consistent gender gap in Americans' giving, with women bearing a significantly greater share of the burden than men. Here we investigate what explains gender differences in giving and what can counteract the pattern by increasing men's giving.

Reference Information

Author: 

Robb Willer,
Christopher Wimer,
Lindsay A. Owens
Publication Date: 
January 2015