Charity Research: Gender Differences In Supporting Causes

When you share a link on Facebook for a cancer walk or a charity event, it could be that only half of your friends are tuning in.

More women than men believe in the power of social networking when it comes to supporting a cause, according to a new study by Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communication and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide.

In general, almost half of all women are involved in causes, compared to 41 percent of men. The study, which surveyed 2,000 Americans, revealed that more men than women see supporting causes as a "fad."

Both genders overwhelmingly say the Internet can create "cause fatigue," with almost 75 percent saying cause-related emails feel like spam and 50 percent saying "liking" a cause on Facebook is devoid of any real meaning.

The study also revealed that the top sources for learning about causes are TV or the newspaper, with websites and social media at the bottom.

Men and women also agreed that the causes that deserve the most support are feeding the hungry and supporting the troops, with disease-related causes such as HIV/AIDS and autism ranking lower.