Money Versus Time: The Effects of Social Media Exclusion on Mental Construal and Donation Behaviors

Abstract

The development of social media platforms has ushered in a new era in which online media interactions, such as Facebook and Twitter, have largely supplanted traditional means of interpersonal interaction. This has resulted in problems such as cyberbullying and social exclusion. Previous research has indicated that people who feel socially excluded react more positively to altruistic behaviors, which could effectively restore connection and happiness from the exclusion. This study investigates two distinct types of social media exclusion (being rejected vs. being ignored) to determine their subsequent donation preferences (money vs. time). In three substudies, this study explores donation behaviors and demonstrates that people who feel socially rejected (ignored) react more positively to the donation of money (time). Study 1 reveals that being rejected (ignored) by social media leads people to form low (high)-level mental construals, resulting in preferences for the donation of money (time). Study 2 examines how matching the exclusion type with the abstractness of appeals (abstract vs. concrete) affects donation preference. Similarly, Study 3 demonstrates the matching effects of exclusion type and the temporal distance of appeals (current vs. future) on subsequent charitable behaviors. Charitable fundraisers are advised to align their charitable appeals with people's construal levels to help these excluded media users not only reconnect their belonging with the community but also recover their happiness after the exclusion experiences.