Speaking of Psychology What moral psychology has to say about charitable giving, with Joshua Greene, PhD
10 snips
Dec 10, 2025 
Joshua Greene, a Harvard psychology professor specializing in moral psychology, explores how we make charitable choices. He discusses the emotional and rational factors influencing donations, the effectiveness of charities, and the innovative Giving Multiplier platform designed to boost impactful giving. Greene also delves into the fascinating world of moral decisions involving psychopaths and monks, and links moral psychology to improving cooperation across political divides. Tune in for insights on bridging polarization through shared values!
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Psychopaths And Monks Reach The Same Verdict
- Greene contrasts psychopaths and Tibetan Buddhist monks who both approve pushing in the footbridge case for very different reasons.
- He links monks' approval to meditation training that allows detachment from emotional impulses.
Charities Vary Enormously In Impact
- Charity effectiveness varies massively, sometimes by hundreds or thousands of times per dollar.
- Greene urges recognizing these differences when deciding where to give to maximize impact.
Give Both: Split Donations Increase Impact
- Offer donors a split option between a personal charity and an evidence-backed effective charity.
- Greene's experiments show more money goes to effective causes when people can 'do both.'
