De invloed van de operationele seks ratio op de aankoop van statusgoederen en op spaar- en donatiegedrag bij mannen

Rona
Hoti

Het egoïsme van goede doelen

De hype van de zomer 2014 moet wel de Ice Bucket Challenge geweest zijn. Door filmpjes op sociale media te posten, willen jongeren de ziekte ALS in het daglicht stellen. Deze nobele daad was echter onderhevig aan verschillende kritieken. Minder altruïstische motieven zouden hier aan de basis liggen. Zo zouden jongeren deelnemen aan deze uitdaging om aan de hand van hun opzichtig medeleven in de gunst te komen van hun leeftijdsgenoten. Dit voorbeeld uit de actualiteit past helemaal in het kader van mijn onderzoek. De resultaten tonen aan dat mannelijke studenten, in hun zoektocht naar een partner, gebruik maken van opzichtig medeleven (conspicuous compassion) om hun status te verhogen. Hierbij speelt de seks ratio, het aantal mannen in verhouding tot het aantal vrouwen, een belangrijke rol.

De seks ratio is een belangrijk gegeven in het menselijk gedrag, voornamelijk in het consumptiegedrag. Gebieden, culturen of landen met veel mannen en een tekort aan vrouwen geven meer uit aan luxegoederen, doneren meer geld aan goede doelen en sparen minder. Op die manier proberen de mannen die in overvloed aanwezig zijn hun rijkdom te tonen aan de schaarse vrouwen. Deze trend kunnen we aantonen m.b.v. de case China. Daar stijgt de laatste decennia de concumptie van luxe producten. Deze stijging in luxe bij de Chinezen gaat gepaard met een abnormaal hoge seks ratio. China voert sinds de eind jaren zeventig een eenkindpolitiek. De Chinese cultuur heeft een sterke voorkeur voor jongens. Deze voorkeur in combinatie met een sexe-selectieve abortus heeft geleid tot een overvloed aan mannen en een schaarste aan vrouwen.

Op het eerste gezicht heeft doneren aan goede doelen en luxe consumptie weinig met elkaar te maken, maar beiden worden ze beïnvloed door de drang naar een hoge status. Mensen worden gedreven door een verlangen om prestige, status, respect, vriendschap en andere sociale voordelen in te winnen. Om het met de woorden van Karl Marx te zeggen: ‘A house may be large or small; as long as the neighboring houses are likewise small, it satisfies all social requiremenst for a residence. But let there arise next to the little house a palace, and the little house shrinks into a hut’.

Vooral bij een hoge seks ratio proberen mannen d.m.v. luxe consumptie en/of donatie aan goede doelen vrouwen te versieren. Door onnodig geld uit te geven, kunnen mannen duidelijk maken dat ze ruim beschikken over financiële middelen. Door goede doelen te steunen tonen ze ook dat ze over een altruïstische persoonlijkheid beschikken, waarbij ze hun middelen liever inzetten om anderen te helpen dan te spenderen aan zichzelf. 

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Universiteit of Hogeschool
Universiteit Gent
Thesis jaar
2014
Thema('s)
Economische en toegepaste economische wetenschappen
Kernwoorden
spaargedrag,
egoïsme,
donatie,
status,
Altruïsme,
filantropie,
goede doelen,
seks