Behavioural Economics Primer: Identifiable Victim Effect

Crawford Hollingworth

This article provides an overview of the behavioural economics concept of the identifiable victim effect, in which we are more likely to respond to the plight of one sufferer, than we are to large groups.

Behavioural Economics Primer: Identifiable victim effect

Crawford Hollingworth The Behavioural Architects

Behavioural economics

This article is part of Warc's Behavioural Economics Primer.

We are more likely to respond and give support towards relieving the plight of a single, identifiable victim suffering under hardship than we are to large statistically defined groups of sufferers.  

To the emotional part of our brain, a single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic. And this was the case when the photograph of Syrian refugee, 3 year old Aylan Kurdi, was beamed around the world in September. The harrowing photo showed...

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