The Generosity Survey

To develop a snapshot of Americans’ views on generosity, In Character added a series of questions about Americans’ understanding of the sources and importance of generosity to a Harris Interactive online survey. There were 2,516 responses to the survey, which was conducted in April 2006. The results have a statistical precision of plus or minus three percentage points.

1. The Sources of Generosity

The home is the best teacher of generosity, with a helpful boost from the tax code. Most respondents thought that the family was the most important source of generosity, while nearly three out of four also agreed that tax deductions for charitable contributions provide a major incentive to be generous. American “mediating institutions” such as non-profit organizations, schools, and religious groups also play an important role in promoting generosity, according to the survey respondents. Although the survey does not provide red-state versus blue-state data, there are significant regional differences with those living in the South (71%) more likely to claim that religion is a source of generosity than those in other regions of the country (63% of those in the Northeast and Midwest, and 59% of those in the West).



2. Trends in Generosity

The survey suggests that, while most Americans (87%) agree that giving time is just as generous as giving money, what counts as generosity is not as clear. Most respondents, for example, did not think that tipping 15 percent in a restaurant was generous but older respondents were much more likely than younger respondents (58% to 39%) to think the former was more generous. The age gap looms large in responses to the question of whether Americans tend to be generous. Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents over 55 agreed with the statement, while less than one out of four (23%) respondents aged 18 to 34 did.