Engaging Vietnamese Youth with a Heart-Winning Message for Disaster Fundraising

Author : Linh Nguyen Phuong

Abstract :In the context of Typhoon Yagi, which caused severe damage to coastal and mountainous regions, this study investigates how two key factors—appeal type (emotional vs. rational) and message framing (gain vs. loss)—influence donation intentions for disaster relief, while also examining the mediating roles of empathy and reciprocity. An online survey (n = 818) was conducted using a 2 (loss-framed vs. gain framed message) × 2 (emotional appeal vs. rational appeal) factorial experimental design. The findings reveal that emotional appeals are more persuasive than rational ones in encouraging donations, and loss framed messages have a stronger impact than gain-framed messages. Notably, when emotional appeal is employed, loss framing exerts a greater influence on donation intention than gain framing; conversely, gain framing proves more persuasive with rational appeal. These results underscore the pivotal role of empathy in shaping young individuals’ receptiveness to charitable appeals, whereas reciprocity shows no clear mediating effect. The findings offer practical guidance for optimizing strategic communication approaches to maximize fundraising efficacy in disaster relief initiatives

Keywords :Typhoon Yagi, appeal type, message framing, donation intention, empathy, reciprocity.

Conference Name :International Conference on Philosophy, Psychology and Spirituality (ICOPPS-25)

Conference Place Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Conference Date 24th May 2025