Believe it or not, whatever squabbling may highlight our social media feeds, Americans do a pretty good job of supporting each other.
And for those whose hearts are in the right places, research shows that giving comes with rewards: psychological benefits, financial relief, even a longer life.
So in an age when everyone seems bent on becoming a YouTube celebrity, is it possible true happiness comes when the iPhone is pointed the other way?
“We are in a selfie generation,” said Baldwin Way, PhD, associate professor in Ohio State’s Department of Psychology. “We tend to be highly self-focused, and it appears that may not be the best way to go. It may even be detrimental to your health.”
Meanwhile, an altruistic mindset may reap substantial rewards.
You may live longer
Way was visiting his 85-year-old father, who uses the obituary section of his local newspaper to partially plan out his week, when he had an “aha” moment.
“I was sitting there and said, ‘Oh, an obituary, that has everything you need to know about someone’s societal and behavioral health,’” Way said.
That observation spawned a study of thousands of obituaries that found people who were members of a church or multiple volunteer groups lived up to six years longer on average.
Way, a biologist by training, said studies show that giving support, say to a stressed loved one, stimulates the reward areas of the brain — the same areas sparked by getting chocolate or receiving money. There’s also evidence, he said, that compassionate actions reduce cortisol, the stress hormone.
Way said it’s not entirely clear why this happens. “My sense is we’re such a social species that caring for others is important, was evolutionarily important.”
You may feel better
Jennifer Crocker, PhD, a professor and Ohio Eminent Scholar in social psychology in the Department of Psychology, studies compassionate goals within relationships. The pattern she finds is that genuine compassion has tremendous benefits. However, selfish goals have the opposite effect.
“People can tell when you’re faking it,” she said. “When people have compassionate goals to another person’s needs, we see these nice upward spirals of supportive relationships. And they have a range of benefits for psychological well-being, less anxiety and depression, increased self-esteem. And relationships are strong predictors of physical health.”
These studies hold true when it comes to giving support to a charity.
“If you give to a food pantry in central Ohio because you genuinely care about people who don’t have enough to eat, that’s good for your own psychological well-being and for your health,” Crocker said. “You’ll feel more connected and less isolated.”
You may see financial benefits
Donating simply for tax breaks isn’t a great reason, according to Brian Mittendorf, a professor and chair of accounting and management information systems at Fisher College of Business. However, if you have genuine motivations, donating to charities can also provide a side benefit of tax savings.
“Donating any item to a qualified charity, other than time, has tax benefits as long as you itemize,” said Mittendorf, who teaches nonprofit accounting. “There are particular areas you can get added tax incentives like donating items that have appreciated in value, usually investment assets like a stock that’s gone up in value. There’s an added tax bonus for donating those items because you never have to recognize the capital gain.”
Most charities can handle a publicly traded stock donation fairly well, Mittendorf said, but donations such as cryptocurrencies are better handled by some agencies over others.
Not sure where to start? Mittendorf has suggestions:
- Think about what cause you want to support.
- Examine more than one organization (websites such as Charity Navigator and the Columbus Foundation Giving Store offer information on charities).
- Don’t be afraid to ask how an organization supports an effort.
- Once you find one, ask what they need.
Crocker added helping can come anywhere on any scale.
“Little things matter,” she said. “Stopping to give someone directions, picking up something someone’s dropped, helping a neighbor or a friend — different people have needs at different times, and just being there for them can be meaningful.
“There’s so much need out there,” she said. “Don’t worry about making the perfect choice — just give something. You’ll feel good because you did something, and you’ll have made a start.”