Dataset

Database Code

SS007

Title

Influences on charitable giving for conservation: Online survey data of 1,331 respondents across the US, August 2017

Abstract

This dataset records survey data collected from an online panel of 1,331 anonymous, nationwide U.S respondents. Data collection was both initiated and completed in August 2017. Survey data is of two major types. The first type, information about respondents, includes (1) select background and demographic information; (2) a brief version of a social desirability scale, measured to test and control for potential bias related to socially desirable responding; and (3) a scale developed to measure moral inclusivity, conceptualized as the breadth of an individual’s moral community (i.e., to what extent do different types of entities “count,” in a moral sense). The second type of data records information about an experimental message manipulation featured in the survey. The dataset includes one variable indicating which of seven manipulated textual messages each respondent viewed, along with several variables used as metrics of response to the messages, including (1) attitudes toward the message; (2) hypothetical willingness to donate for the cause promoted in the message; (3) perceived moral salience of the message (i.e., the extent to which it was perceived as a matter of moral concern); (4) manipulation checks, to test whether the manipulated elements of the messages were perceived as intended, and (5) a donation set-up, in which individuals were given the option to donate between $0 and $5 for a conservation organization, from an incentive fee provided by the researchers.

Keywords

conservation; attitudes and perceptions; environmental ethics; public assessments; public values

Date begin

2017-08-18

Date end

2017-08-25

Principal Investigator

Michael P. Nelson

Entities

1. SS00701

1. SS00701 - Attribute list

Attribute definitions

AGE

Respondent age

AGE_RANGE

Respondent age, binned by range

DBCODE

FSDB Database Code

DON

Amount of money donated (US dollars)

DON2

Indicates whether the person made a donation

EDU

Respondent highest level of education achieved

ENTITY

Entity number

ENV_ID

I consider myself an environmentalist.

GEND

Self-identified respondent gender

HYDON1

If this were an outreach message asking you to support a real conservation organization, would you donate money to that organization right now?

HYDON2

If you answered “yes” to the question above, how much would you be willing to donate? (US Dollars)

HYDON3

Denotes what sort of value was entered for hypothetical amount

INATT_CON

I think nature conservation is important.

INCO

Respondent annual household income

MC1_MFI1

This message is about trying to avoid harm.

MC2_MFI2

This message is about fairness.

MC3_MFB1

This message is about tradition.

MC4_MFB2

This message is about community.

MC5_MWH

This message expresses concern for people.

MC6_MWNH

This message expresses concern for non-human beings (like animals or plants).

MC7_EMO

I have a strong emotional response to this message.

MINC1_A1

Every person has value above and beyond his or her usefulness for others.

MINC2_A2

In general, I would say human suffering is a moral issue.

MINC3_A3

As a basic principle, people ought to demonstrate respect for other individual people.

MINC4_Z1

The wellbeing of an individual animal matters, even if it does not affect the wellbeing of people.

MINC5_Z2

Every individual animal possesses a dignity that deserves respect.

MINC6_B1

The wellbeing of individual plants is not a matter of moral concern to me.

MINC7_B2

Every plant deserves respect as a living creature.

MINC8_E1

People have a moral obligation to consider how their decisions might harm or benefit a species, even if the species has no apparent use.

MINC9_E2

It makes no sense to talk about respecting a species.

MINC10_E3

When people cause the extinction of a species, they have committed a moral wrong against the species.

MINC11_E4

People have a moral obligation to consider how their decisions might harm or benefit an ecosystem, even if the ecosystem has no apparent use.

MINC12_E5

It makes no sense to talk about respecting an ecosystem.

MINC13_E6

When people cause the loss of an ecosystem, they have committed a moral wrong against the ecosystem.

MINC14_Z3

If I had mice nesting in my walls, I would feel some guilt for exterminating them.

MINC15_Z4

If I found a spider inside my house, I would hesitate to kill it.

MINC16_B3

If I were weeding a garden, I would feel some remorse for killing the weeds.

MINC17_B4

It is appropriate to feel grateful to the fruits and vegetables we eat.

MINC18_A4

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm myself, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC19_A5

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm my family, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC20_A6

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm Americans, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC21_A7

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm people in other countries, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC22_Z5

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a dog, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC23_Z6

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a bald eagle, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC24_Z7

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a cow, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC25_Z8

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a cougar, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC26_Z9

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a fly, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC27_B5

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a houseplant, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC28_B6

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm an oak tree, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC29_B7

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a fungus, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC30_B8

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a poison ivy plant, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC31_E7

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm an endangered species of elephant, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC32_E8

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a local species of mosquito, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC33_E9

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm a tropical rainforest ecosystem, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC34_E10

If I had to decide whether or not to do something that would harm an agricultural ecosystem, I would be making a moral decision.

MINC35_Z10

A dog has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC36_Z11

A bald eagle has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC37_Z12

A cow has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC38_Z13

A cougar has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC39_Z14

A fly has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC40_B9

A houseplant has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC41_B10

An oak tree has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC42_B11

A fungus has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC43_B12

A poison ivy plant has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC44_E11

An endangered species of elephant has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC45_E12

A local species of mosquito has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC46_E13

A tropical rainforest ecosystem has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MINC47_E14

An agricultural ecosystem has value above and beyond any use it may serve for others.

MOSA_1

The message in this flyer makes me think about right and wrong.

MOSA_2

The message in this flyer makes me think about my moral responsibilities.

MOSA_3

The message in this flyer reflects my core moral beliefs.

ORG_DON

In the past year I have donated money to an environmental organization.

ORG_VOL

In the past year I have volunteered for an environmental organization.

POL_OR

How do you self-identify politically?

QUALTRICSID

Unique respondent identifier

RACE

Self-identified respondent race/ethnicity

REL

How religious are you?

SODES_1

It is sometimes hard for me to go on with my work is I am not encouraged.

SODES_2

I sometimes feel resentful when I don’t get my way.

SODES_3

On a few occasions, I have given up doing something because I thought too little of my ability.

SODES_4

There have been times when I felt like rebelling against people in authority even though I knew they were right.

SODES_5

No matter who I’m talking to, I’m always a good listener.

SODES_6

There have been occasions when I took advantage of someone.

SODES_7

I’m always willing to admit it when I make a mistake.

SODES_8

I sometimes try to get even rather than forgive and forget.

SODES_9

I am always courteous, even to people who are disagreeable.

SODES_10

I have never been irked when people expressed ideas very different from my own.

SODES_11

There have been times when I was quite jealous of the good fortune of others.

SODES_12

I am sometimes irritated by people who ask favors of me.

SODES_13

I have never deliberately said something that hurt someone’s feelings.

TIME

Total time used to complete survey (milliseconds)

TRT_ATT1

The cause promoted in this flyer is worthy of support.

TRT_ATT2

The cause promoted in this flyer is important.

TRT_ATT3

I find the message in this flyer persuasive.

TRT_CAT

Treatment received by respondent (see related file <Survey Instrument>)

Enumerated domains

Enumerated domain for attribute: DBCODE

Enumerated domain for attribute: GEND

Enumerated domain for attribute: AGE_RANGE

Enumerated domain for attribute: INCO

Enumerated domain for attribute: EDU

Enumerated domain for attribute: RACE

Enumerated domain for attribute: ORG_DON

Enumerated domain for attribute: ORG_VOL

Enumerated domain for attribute: ENV_ID

Enumerated domain for attribute: INATT_CON

Enumerated domain for attribute: POL_OR

Enumerated domain for attribute: REL

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_1

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_2

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_3

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_4

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_5

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_6

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_7

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_8

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_9

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_10

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_11

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_12

Enumerated domain for attribute: SODES_13

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC1_A1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC2_A2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC3_A3

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC4_Z1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC5_Z2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC6_B1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC7_B2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC8_E1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC9_E2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC10_E3

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC11_E4

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC12_E5

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC13_E6

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC14_Z3

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC15_Z4

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC16_B3

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC17_B4

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC18_A4

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC19_A5

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC20_A6

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC21_A7

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC22_Z5

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC23_Z6

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC24_Z7

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC25_Z8

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC26_Z9

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC27_B5

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC28_B6

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC29_B7

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC30_B8

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC31_E7

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC32_E8

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC33_E9

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC34_E10

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC35_Z10

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC36_Z11

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC37_Z12

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC38_Z13

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC39_Z14

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC40_B9

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC41_B10

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC42_B11

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC43_B12

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC44_E11

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC45_E12

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC46_E13

Enumerated domain for attribute: MINC47_E14

Enumerated domain for attribute: TRT_CAT

Enumerated domain for attribute: TRT_ATT1

Enumerated domain for attribute: TRT_ATT2

Enumerated domain for attribute: TRT_ATT3

Enumerated domain for attribute: MOSA_1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MOSA_2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MOSA_3

Enumerated domain for attribute: HYDON1

Enumerated domain for attribute: HYDON3

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC1_MFI1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC2_MFI2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC3_MFB1

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC4_MFB2

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC5_MWH

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC6_MWNH

Enumerated domain for attribute: MC7_EMO

Enumerated domain for attribute: DON2