Donation Likelihood

What it measures

A three-item semantic differential scale measuring a consumer's stated likelihood and willingness to make a charitable donation. Items span likelihood, willingness, and inclination to donate, all rated on bipolar scales. The high internal consistency across multiple studies and contexts makes this a robust and parsimonious measure of donation intention, suitable for use across a wide range of charitable giving research contexts.

Response format

7-point semantic differential

Scale items

• not likely to donate / likely to donate
• not willing to donate / willing to donate
• not inclined to donate / very inclined to donate

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Alpha ranged from .88 to .97 across Studies 3, 5, and a web appendix mortality salience study — Dunn, White & Dahl (2020). VALIDITY: Not discussed. Scale source not stated — appears original to the authors, though similar phrasing exists in prior donation intention measures. Items are presented as bipolar semantic differentials rather than standard Likert items. The consistent and strong reliability across multiple studies and conditions supports the scale's psychometric robustness.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Dunn, Lea, Katherine White, and Darren W. Dahl (2020). A little piece of me: When mortality reminders lead to giving to others. Journal of Marketing Research, 57(3), 436–453.

Keywords