Nature vs. Nurture: How does the home we grow up in affect our contribution?

How does the environment in which we are raised impact our values around giving? A study conducted in 2022 investigated the concept of generational inheritance among adults in Israel and its effects on prosocial activities such as donating, volunteering, and participating in civic activities.

What is generational inheritance?

Generational inheritance refers to the recurring patterns that persist across different generations, involving the passing down of values, norms, attitudes, and behaviors from parents to their children. Even if we don't acknowledge it, this behavior tends to continue;  from our parents to us, and from us to our children.

"But did the parents even donate?"

To understand the impact of generational inheritance on giving, researchers conducted phone interviews with a representative sample of Israeli adults. The participants' demographics spanned gender, age, education, religion, and religiosity. The interviews delved into family background concerning donating, volunteering, and civic engagement.

There is no place like home

Surprisingly, the study found that external factors such as schools and youth movements had limited influence on the tendency to donate money. Instead, after closely examining the collected data, researchers determined that the nature of the home during upbringing held the most significant sway over the decision to donate financially. Within the home environment, various factors converged to shape the tendency to give money, with family conversations about the value of contributing to social causes emerging as the most influential.

In essence, our giving behaviors appear to be strongly influenced by generational inheritance—where the values passed down from parents within the family setting play a pivotal role in shaping our perspective on donating money for social good.

So, how do I begin to instill in my children the value of giving?

From the research findings, it can be concluded that the first and simplest way to do this is, of course, to donate regularly. Ensure that our children are actively aware of our contributions. This can take several forms: open discourse of the importance of giving, involving them in the decision-making process regarding monthly donations, and discussion of goals that resonate. This approach aligns with the idea that generational inheritance is pivotal in shaping our perspective on donating money for the betterment of society.

If you're looking to take your efforts a step further, we've created two resources that can assist you in cultivating the importance of generosity within your family. The initial resource involves establishing a personal fund for donations with your family, where you contribute monthly. This option enables your entire family to participate in the giving process. Each one can deposit an amount into the fund and grant together or you can just deposit funds and decide collaboratively where the funds should be donated to.

The second approach involves presenting your child with a Give Card for their next upcoming lifecycle event such as birthday, bar/bat mitzva, finishing the army or any other milestone or celebration. This approach creatively and uniquely imparts the significance and essence of giving, bringing joy and originality to the experience and shows the next generation where you put your values making philanthropy part of your legacy. 

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