People who feel financially secure are more likely to donate to charity and help strangers than those struggling to make ends meet, according to a study from the University of Birmingham. Generosity depends not only on the desire to help but also on the ability to do so.

The researchers analyzed data from 80,337 people in 76 countries, using surveys that measured both income and financial well-being. Incomes ranged from $200 to $380,000 a year, adjusted for differences in living costs. People were asked how much they earned, whether they felt financially comfortable, and whether their standard of living was rising or falling.

Higher incomes

Those with higher incomes were more likely to say they had donated money, volunteered, or helped a stranger in the past month. They were also more willing to return a favor, give without expecting anything in return, and punish unfair behavior. Yet they reported lower trust in others than people with lower incomes.

Financial security mattered even more than income alone. People who felt they were living comfortably were more generous and more trusting than those who felt financially insecure, regardless of how much they earned. The authors say these findings could help shape policies that promote social cooperation.