This scale measures the degree to which a person feels optimistic about the future of the needy who are receiving donations from a particular charity. Waites et al. (2023) created the measure by drawing two words (items 1 and 3) from a four-item scale by Cox, Cox, and Zimet (2006), plus a key word those authors mentioned repeatedly in their article (item 2), and used it in Study 5, Study 6a, and the Study 6b pretest.
7-point Likert
Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.
Alphas were .92, .76, and .85 in Studies 5, 6a, and the 6b pretest, respectively (Waites et al. 2023, pp. 958, 960, 961); Study 6a fell below .80, while the other two administrations exceeded it. Validity was not discussed per se, but the scale was used as a successful manipulation check in the Study 6b pretest, offering preliminary support for predictive validity. Because of the term "impoverished" in the scale stem, the measure focuses on financial poverty; with slight rewording it could be adapted to physical, mental, or emotional needs. Items follow the stem "Donating to ___ would make me feel the following emotions about the impoverished individuals' future:"
Waites, Stacie, Adam Farmer, Jonathan Hasford, and Roman Welden (2023), "Teach a Man to Fish: The Use of Autonomous Aid in Eliciting Donations," Journal of Marketing Research, 60 (5), 950-967.
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