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Will_Sawin comments on Applied Optimal Philanthropy: How to Donate $100 to SIAI for Free - Less Wrong
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It has to do with mental accounting. For someone who is a) like all humans, a bounded rationalist, and b) like most humans, does not donate nearly enough (from a utilitarian perspective) to charity, a catchy idea to donate unbudgeted money could spur an increase in donation.
In particular, taking a donation out of money you previously thought you would use hurts. Taking a donation out of money you did not know about before does not hurt.
Exactly. I'm sure this phenomenon has been studied and documented somewhere but I don't know what it's called.
Typically they refer to these as "windfall gains," and there seems to be significant psychological literature that uses that term.
Ah, yes! I'll be studying that literature now thanks to you!