Better or different? Self-differentiating appeals interact with self-theories to predict volunteer intentions

Abstract

This research explores how charities can harness individuals' desire for self-enhancement in their advertisements to boost volunteerism. Two studies examine the effects of advertising which promote either horizontal differentiation (appeals to uniqueness, existing skills) or vertical differentiation (appeals to status, skill acquisition) and how these interact with consumers' self-theories (incremental—belief in changeable attributes through effort, or entity—belief in unchangeable attributes). Study 1 (n = 183, 56% female) shows entity theorists are more inclined to volunteer following horizontally framed appeals, while incremental theorists respond similarly to both types of appeals. Study 2 (n = 107, 58% female) builds on this, revealing that self-theory influences the type of individuation (horizontal or vertical) sought by individuals, in turn enhancing volunteer intentions. These findings highlight the complex relationship between self-theory and advertising appeals in motivating volunteerism, offering valuable insights for creating effective charitable ads and understanding volunteer motivations.