Understanding the effectiveness of social influence appeals in charitable giving: the roles of affinity with the cause, and past giving behavior

Nonprofit organizations today face the challenges in terms of not only attracting the largest number of donors, but also developing effective strategies capable of targeting the right audience. To do so, social fundraising campaigns increasingly rely on social influence to motivate individuals to donate. This study aims to analyze the impact of social influence by using descriptive and injunctive social norms on the intention to donate, considering also the central roles that two personal characteristics - i.e., affinity with the social cause and past giving behavior - can play as moderators. The study findings enable us to provide both theoretical and practical implications.