DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Mediated Humanitarian Knowledge;
Audiences’ reactions and moral actions
Public Perceptions of NGOs and
Responses to Individual
Humanitarian Communications
Summary Findings of Focus Groups Conducted in the
UK in 2011 – Interim Report 1
Bruna Seu, Dept. of Psychosocial Studies, BIRKBECK, University of London, UK.
Page 1 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Acknowledgements
This report presents findings from the three-year research project entitled: Mediated
Humanitarian Knowledge; Audiences’ Responses and Moral Actions (‘KARMA’), launched in
2010 by Dr Bruna Seu and colleagues, Dr Shani Orgad and Professor Stan Cohen (LSE). This
project was kindly funded by the Leverhulme Trust: reference grant number F/07 112/Y.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the non-profit agencies and
participants who took part in this study, without whose generous cooperation and time the
research would have been impossible.
We are also very grateful to the researchers – Dr. Frances Flanagan, Dr. Mastoureh Fathi,
Dr. Rachel Cohen, Dr. Rodolfo Leyva - who have assisted with data collection and project
management. .
More information can be found on the project website:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/psychosocial/our-research/research-projects/mediated-humanitarianknowledge
This report may be cited as:
Seu, I.B. (2014) Public perceptions of NGOs and responses to individual communications.
Contact details:
Bruna Seu, Dept. of Psychosocial Studies, BIRKBECK, University of London, 30 Russell
Square, London, WC1B 5DT.
Email: b.seu@bbk.ac.uk
Copyright © KARMA Project: Mediated Humanitarian Knowledge; Audiences’ Responses and
Moral Actions
Disclaimer
The views discussed in this report do not necessarily represent the views of the author, but
are the expression, as objective as possible, of the public’s opinions and observations
communicated during the focus group discussions. This notwithstanding, any analysis
involves a certain amount of interpretation and particularly with qualitative data, is never
totally objective.
While every effort has been made by the author to ensure that the contents of this report
are factually correct, neither the Leverhulme Trust nor the author accept responsibility for
the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this Interim Report, and shall not be liable
for any loss or damage that may be caused directly or indirectly through the use of, or
reliance on, the contents of this report.
Page 2 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Table of Contents
Summary Statement-Introduction
Executive Summary
Key Messages
1. Public Perception of NGOs
1.1. Positive Views of NGPs; The Good Samaritan
1.1.1 NGOs ‘on the ground’
1.1.2 NGOs Committed to Beneficiaries Over Time
1.1.3 NGOs Actions Visibly Effective and Enabling Beneficiaries
1.1.4 NGOs As Good People Deserving of Trust and Respect
1.2. Concerns and Negative Views of NGOs
1.2.1. Misuse of Money
1.2.2. Administration Costs vs. Beneficiaries
1.2.3. NGOs Perceived Affluence
1.3. NGOs and their Worker-3 Models
1.3.1 The ‘Professional’ Model
1.3.2. The ‘Glamour’ Mode
1.3.3. The ‘Pure Business’ Model
2. Responses to Individual Communications
2.1. Style and Presentation of Communications
2.2. Picture or Text?
2.3. Content of the Appeal
2.3.1. Should it Depict Children?
2.4. Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendix A: KARMA’s Research Aims, Methodology and Ethics
4
5
5
7
7
7
8
8
8
9
9
10
11
11
11
12
12
16
16
18
20
21
22
24
Appendix B: Table of Participant Demographics
28
Appendix C: NGO Communications
35
Appendix D: Interview Schedule for Focus Group Participants
40
Page 3 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
SUMMARY STATEMENT-INTRODUCTION
Four preliminary reports will be compiled on the basis of the audience data that has been
gathered from focus group with over 180 participants from the British public, in-depth
interviews with 10 members of the British public, and in-depth interviews with NGO
practitioners (see Appendix A for the KARMA project’s full research scope and methodology,
and Appendix B for full participant demographic information). Three reports will focus on the
audience data and the 4th will focus on interviews with NGO practitioners. This first report
addresses the components of the KARMA study concerned with exploring:

British public perceptions
communications.
of
NGOs
and
responses
to
individual
humanitarian
The data used for this exploration was gathered from 20 focus groups who discussed 12
communications from the following NGOs: Oxfam, Save the Children, DEC, PLAN UK,
ActionAid, MSF, UNICEF and Amnesty International (see Appendix C for images of the exact
communications). In what follows, the key messages and findings related to the above
exploration will be summarised and then unpacked in more detail and empirically
substantiated with excerpts from the focus group interviews in subsequent sections.
Correspondingly the findings are presented in thematic order and should not be taken to
represent their relative importance. The selection is nevertheless based on frequency and
unless stated otherwise, it should be assumed that the selected themes were mentioned
frequently, by several participants and across different focus groups. This report is thus
divided into the following three sections.
1. Public Perception of NGOs: This section describes some of the positive and
negative views, feelings and concerns that participants have about NGOs.
2. Responses to Individual Communications: This section explores participants’
immediate cognitive and emotional reactions to the humanitarian communications that
they were shown, i.e. their thoughts and feelings in response to these messages.
Page 4 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Executive Summary
Key Messages:

The following characteristics seem to produce two important outcomes in how participants
responded to humanitarian communications. First there is a clear sense that displaying
these characteristics engenders trust and respect in the NGOs. Second, NGOs’ ‘positive
commitment’ towards victims and beneficiaries is mirrored by donors’ continuous support
and commitment to NGOs.
1. Visibility and Effectiveness. NGOs actions should be visible and identifiable,
both through agencies’ reports and feedback, and through independent media,
such as news items and documentaries. The actions and interventions should also
be transparently effective.
2. Continuity Over-Time. NGOs actions and performance need to operate over
time, both in terms of longevity of the organisation and in the form of ongoing
support for beneficiaries.
3. Selfless and Other-centred. It is crucial that NGOs activities are not perceived
as motivated by self-interest but, rather, as prioritising and responding to the
needs of the victims and beneficiaries. This is positively reinforced by visual
documentation of workers neglecting their own safety for the sake of helping
others in need.
4. Closeness and Approachability. NGOs ability to be close to and approachable
both to victims and donors is highly valued. These qualities apply both in concrete
terms (e.g. being physically proximal to victims, particularly in situations of danger
and physical need), and metaphorically (e.g. in being available to donors to answer
questions and provide information).

Correspondingly, the majority of participants agreed that effective NGO communications
should:
1. Be aesthetically stylistic and well-put together, but should not be lavish or appear
to be wasteful of resources.
2. Contain short but informative massages that educate the reader, as well as
information on how resources are being utilised.
3. Contain manageable amounts of facts and basic (not necessarily simplistic)
information.
4. Make an emotionally manageable impact, without guilting or being otherwise
emotionally manipulative.
Page 5 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
5. Offer practical, manageable and effective actions and solutions to the problem
depicted (crucial as it offers a release from the difficult emotions evoked by the
appeal). This applies to both what the reader is asked/invited to, and what the
agencies are proposing to do with donations.
6. Connect to the reader’s foundational values and moral principles.
Page 6 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
SECTION 1: PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF NGOs
Participants’ perceptions were distinctly polarised into two key characterisations of NGOs: one
positive and one negative. The summaries provided below illustrate positive views of NGOs
and their activities, which typically organised around a perception of NGOs as Good
Samaritans, while strong negative views were expressed in terms of accountability and the
increased marketization of NGOs. The two sets of views were not equivalent in their
expression across the groups.
1.1. Positive Views of NGOs; The Good Samaritan:

Whilst negative views were continuously and consistently mentioned within and across
different focus groups, the Good Samaritan characterisation of NGOs only appeared in 4
out of the 18 focus groups. These preliminary findings illustrate that, however powerful
and cherished, this view of NGOs is far from dominant and widespread in terms of how
humanitarian agencies are perceived.
1.1.1. NGOs ‘On the Ground’:
 Of this small subset of participants, several of them expressed the perception of NGOs as
being in direct contact with victims and beneficiaries, as well as with donors. According to
this view, NGO workers are approachable, physically and humbly present wherever they
are needed, sometimes to the detriment of their own safety.
Belinda: And I saw this one, Médecine Sans Frontières. I've always admired them for the same
reasons that have already been discussed, that we know they're on the ground, you know, and
lots of them... most of them are doctors, I believe, and they're actually administering the
medicines and doing the wounds and all that, so I like it. I don't know a lot about it; I know
it’s French, so there's that one. And then these two, funnily enough I didn’t realise they were
both Amnesty. […] So these I really, really like. Amnesty, I do subscribe... I've been
subscribing to Amnesty for many years because with their work, you know, you can even ring
the Amnesty office and find out exactly what's going on in a particular situation and they send
something, I think, monthly, don't they?
Cathy: Number eight (UNICEF) because they do try to help the ones that are starving and on
the streets abroad and all that. There are different people go out and get these buildings and
house them
Jonathan: This one, is number seven, the Medicine Sans Frontier […]I remember I’ve seen
some stuff from Medicine Sans Frontier before, and they actually go, I know for a fact that
they go some places that a lot of people just won’t go to, because they go into war zones and
stuff, so they’re pretty hardcore, so to speak.
Page 7 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
1.1.2. NGOs Committed to Beneficiaries Over Time:

The quality of continuity over time was also mentioned as being important in terms of
NGO’s continual support of victims. As the following extract suggests, both emergency
interventions and the continuing support of beneficiaries are important in establishing a
positive view of NGOs.
Bruna: Bridget, which ones did you pick?
Bridget : This one. (MSF) basically, yes, because I've heard of doctors in that and you do feel
as though they go there and they stay there and they’ve got some kind of positive
commitment that they are with people.
1.1.3. NGOs Actions Visibly Effective and Enabling Beneficiaries:

Another characteristic of this view relates to evidence of effectiveness, particularly over
time. In this particular case, the NGOs’ continuing involvement with beneficiaries is
perceived to have the lasting effect of making them self-sufficient.
Caroline: […] one of the charities that I’ve supported for a long time is Oxfam and what I’ve
always like about them is its, you know, helping people to get themselves out of poverty. So
when you get a report from Oxfam, you know, they’ve helped this village to build a well or
solar heat or whatever and now they are doing this for themselves…
Chloe: [..] but Amnesty International if you are in trouble at least you know the money is
going to a solicitor or whatever to go and help them.
1.1.4. NGOs As Good People Deserving of Trust and Respect:

A sense of trust and respect for agencies seemed to be a natural result of the visible
effects of the mentioned NGOs’ actions. In particular, consistency over time and the
selfless, almost heroic, quality of the actions of NGO workers seem key to the participants’
commitment to the NGOs.
Bruna: But Christina it sounds like you trust Amnesty.
Christina: I think... I think, yes, when you see what they do.
Bruna: Okay, that’s what I was trying to get at, right.
Christina: And they go with whaling, you know, to stop the whaling. I just wish they’d get into
these Muslim countries and stop them from beheading women and things like that but then
I’m afraid they’d very likely shoot them.
Iris: Because it's, they're very (MSF) well known and that's not too distressing. And very often
on the news you see them in action, you know, particularly in war zones and you recognise
them and I feel I've got a lot of respect for people who work for them. And they put
themselves in danger and they've had quite a few deaths and.
Isabella: Those programmes are very emotive and again, you know, you can see how people,
they're good people, they deal with doctors.
Page 8 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
1.2. Concerns and Negative Views of NGOs:

Participants expressed concerns over a number of issues, but two overarching themes
emerged distinctly in all focus groups. The first related to how NGOs use donations, both
in relation to beneficiaries and to their own running costs. The other overarching theme
focussed on negative views of NGOs in terms of their identity, role and actions.
1.2.1. Misuse of Money:

The issue of how monetary donations are used by NGOs was one of the most recurrent,
and was expressed in different forms.

Most participants in all of the focus groups raised the issue of mismanagement of funds.
More specifically, the participants expressed concern that monetary donations were used
to support NGOs and their administration, rather than reaching the beneficiaries.
Omar: Oxfam creams off 80%; some charities cream off more. You know, none of these, let
people help themselves. Yes, help infrastructure and so on but, you know, and disasters, yes,
but to, these people are just there, you know. We can give the money with the best intention
but it doesn’t get to the right place.

Regardless of the accuracy of these statistics, these extracts illustrate the public’s
widespread preoccupation with NGO’s misuse of monetary donations. It also highlights the
importance of agencies’ accountability, and exemplifies a popular perception of agencies
as self-serving. Some participants held particularly strong views on these particular issues
and judged NGOs as being deceitful and corrupt: It is worth noting how even when a
particular NGO is identified, this was perceived to be common practice amongst most
NGOs.
Damien: If you’re giving £10, you’re thinking you’re giving that £10 to help that child, you
know, in that situation whatever, you’re not sort of thinking, well, like £9 of it is going to
administration charges or to pay some ...you know, to pay someone, you know, 40 grand a
year, you know.
UM: With Oxfam isn’t it, with Oxfam, a lot of theirs goes to …
Dominic: Administration.
UM: Administration and that, yes.
Damien: So in a sense, that’s a kind of corruption, you know, I mean, it’s hard to trust, even a
charity, you know.

Another way in which NGOs management of funds was considered wasteful or misdirected
was in their tendency to communicate information that audiences already have, or can get
from other sources such as the media, (the report will return to this theme later in the
discussion of responses to communications).
Betty: I’d like to know how much this cost to sponsor a child. Half the money that goes to
sponsorship gets taken up with rubbish. You know, it doesn’t feed the people, it pays peoples’
Page 9 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
wages, it pays for paper like this. You don’t need that to tell somebody there’s a poor man in
Africa. We all know that. We get it on the news every single day of the week. This is absolute
nonsense.

There was considerable consistency on these negative views of NGOs financial
administration and activities across all of the focus groups.
1.2.2. Administration Costs vs. Beneficiaries:

Participants tended to view salaries and other administrative costs as an impediment to
the care of victims, rather than as being complementary and necessary for this. This
questioning of a failed correspondence between, not just what is given and what reaches
beneficiaries, but also between what donors are led to believe and what actually happens,
was a recurring theme, appearing in many guises across the groups, particularly in
relation to child sponsorship.
Lane: Because, I don't know, from what I understand with some of the bigger companies
such as Oxfam, you donate money and the actual percentage of that money that actually goes
on the ground where it's needed is not what you... If you're donating... if I'm giving £10 to a
child I want that child and the child I'm being led to believe I'm donating, I want that child to
receive that money. And I think a lot of these, if you actually read the small print, it's not quite
like that.

In this context, participants believed that the size of an organisation aggravates this kind
of problem. It appears that the size of the organisation is not a problem in itself, but that
its relevance is contextually dependent. Where there is trust, as illustrated in the previous
section, size, visibility and longevity of the organisation support a positive and lasting
relationship between donors and NGOs. Conversely, where there is distrust, the size of the
organisation is seen as proof of self-serving management of funds.

Although concern was consistently expressed across the groups about administrative
costs, participants varied in terms of the amount they believed agencies do and should
allocate to administrative costs.
Larissa: But I think the other thing for me is like what Lane was just saying, the whole admin
costs and how much... you know, how much does go to the charity. That's the only thing that
I would think twice about.
Bruna: And would you feel more or less what Lane said about it?
Larissa: Yes, I think so. I think that you've got to appreciate that a percentage would go for
admin fees, because I'm sure, you know, all this marketing and printing and all the people that
are there doing their job, but you'd like to think probably 75%, I think is probably fair.
Bruna: Should go to the victim.
Larissa: Yes, definitely, yes, because that's what you're giving it for, isn't it, ultimately?
Page 10 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
1.2.3. NGOs Perceived Affluence:

As part of this general picture of the mismanagement of funds, some people expressed
specific criticisms about the perceived inappropriate affluence of NGOs’ working
surroundings.
Oliver: I think as well, why do all these organisations [have] such glossy places, massive
buildings and... You know, that’s costing them a massive amount of money and it’s not
necessary. All this could be done from a very, you know, small places but they all are...[...]
Why? There’s no reason for the money to be there, is there? The money is for these kids,
which they never see it.

Others believed NGOs workers are paid too much. This view was repeatedly expressed in
different focus groups, sometimes criticising the amount per se, others its meaning in
terms of NGOs’ identities and missions. These views are discussed in detail in the next
sub-section.
1.3. NGOs and their Worker-3 Models:

Participants talked about NGOs in a myriad of ways which I have categorised into 4
models: the ‘charity’, the ‘professional’, the ‘glamour’ and the ‘pure business’ model.
1.3.1. The ‘Professional’ Model:

As an alternative to the conceptualisation of salaried staff as wasteful, some participants
believed in the benefits of a professionally trained management of NGOs, provided that
the costs were kept reasonable. Thus, taking a diametrically opposite view to the ‘charity’
model, they believed that paying NGO workers a salary was a sign of their
professionalism.
Caroline: I wouldn’t be against paying administrators of charities. I mean, for example, most
of the high street charity shops actually have paid managers now and I have no problem with
that because I think that brings a degree of professionalism into the charity so that it is, you
know, run more efficiently as long as the administrative costs aren’t excessive.

Others focused on how to maximise the effectiveness of NGOs’ operations and how this
could only be guaranteed through the work of highly trained staff. Within this model, high
salary was seen as a good investment of funds.
Adam: But they have to, to employ the best people. Obviously we’d all like an ideal kind of
communal situation where everyone works just because it’s the right thing to do. But you
know, running a charity like Oxfam or Amnesty International or Save the Children, it is
probably a serious, important, busy, difficult job, and in order to attract the best people so that
they can raise the most money and give the most money to those who need it, they need to
employ the best and they need to be able to offer a competitive wage.
Page 11 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
1.3.2. The ‘Glamour’ Model:

In contrast with the above examples, other participants saw NGO workers as being
motivated by the glamour and perks of the job, rather than being driven by altruistic
motives. In this type of account, working for an NGO is ‘the job to have’:
Hugh: I’ve just been over to Cambodia and there’s a big discussion there about all the NGOs
over there driving round in their big, flash cars, and it’s the job to have. And even the
Cambodian people who are wealthy enough to get an education, that’s what they aspire to be,
to work with the NGOs, because that’s where the money is. So, you hear… I mean, you hear
all these stories. There was something recently about in Africa, about the money there.

It is clear from the data that this kind of motivation to join an NGO is frowned upon and
reinforces the distrust towards agencies.
1.3.3. The ‘Pure Business’ Model:

The view exemplified in the extract below from Alistair was the most recurrent. It portrays
NGOs as corporate businesses, in competition with each other, preoccupied with targets,
and striving towards expansion. Such construction of NGOs as corporate businesses is
contrasted with an alternative and preferable view of NGOs as cooperating rather than
competing. Together with the expectation that charity workers should donate their time
for free, this view points to an expectation from some members of the public that NGO
practices should apply the same principles underlying their campaigns and
communications; i.e. they should practice what they preach.
Alistair: I think honestly, I used to work for a humanitarian aid group quite a while ago, and I
think a lot of people within the humanitarian aid groups also make too much money
themselves. I think most of these adverts are actually there to actually keep directors in jobs,
to keep the organisation going, also to – how do I say – make the organisation bigger. I think
too many organisations nowadays, they’re competing with each other, which is wrong when it
comes to charity. They should be working together and actually helping people instead of
competing, oh, our organisation can get more funding than this one, because at the end of the
day they’re not reaching the target they are supposed to. While they’re competing, they’re
spending too much money on advertising on TV or newspapers when that could have been
going to whatever they are campaigning about.

This type of characterisation of NGO workers seems to have a negative effect on a
potentially trusting relationship between NGOs and the public. Due to the extent of the
distrust expressed towards the agencies - especially the lack of accountability and the
mismanagement of funds referred to by many participants - it cannot be addressed and
repaired simply by accounting for the use of resources. See for example the following
exchange:
Bruna: Would it make a difference if any of these organisations reported back to you with a
breakdown of how much they spent…?
Hugh: I think so, but I don’t know whether I’d believe it or not.
Page 12 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014

This was far from being an isolated incident. In fact there was widespread sensitivity
about trust and alertness of manipulation. Some, like Harold below, likened NGOs to
manipulative con artists.
Harold : In my view about charity at home is that I’ve got just as much suspicion about those
who collect at home in equal amount to those who collect for overseas charity, because, I tell
you for what, I’m an avid watcher of Crime Watch and over the years there’s been a massive
amount of fraudsters who go around with collection tins, rah-rah-rah, go in the pubs and all
that, manipulating… They’re no different to the people that go on people’s doorsteps and
manipulate them out of their money. I just have a real low disdain for people like that. So I
don’t have a different image for the ones who collect locally in the UK compared to the ones
who collect for, you know, overseas charities at all.

According to some participants, lack of accountability and, for others, suspect morals are
exacerbated by the size of the organisations, as mentioned already. There seemed to be
the view that the size of the organisation makes a difference in terms of both losing touch
with the original aim of the charity and the amount of resources that end up helping
victims. This was one of the key characteristics of pure ‘business’ model:
Hugh: The bigger the charity, the bigger the business, I feel like, the less actually gets to
where it’s intended. If you’ve got some… I don’t know; you get some, like, small Christian
charities who actually collect stuff and actually take it over to India, and it might be just a
family and they do it, or it might be a church and they do it, but once you get to this stage
there’s less going. That’s all it becomes - a business venture employing X amount of people. I
mean, it’s… and then they’ve got all the laws that they have to pay, obviously - basic wages
and all that.
Harold : It’s like this…
Hugh: The higher they get up the more they earn.

Other participants expressed the view that while NGOs need professional fundraisers to
procure funds to help people, this ‘marketisation’ of NGOs is antithetical to helping others.
Alan: Going back to what Alistair said, I think I agree with him 100% in the way the
businesses are set up, the charities are set up, because they’re set up as businesses, and
you’ve got the people at the top who go in, go into that position as a general manager or, you
know, as an administrator, whatever you go in as. They are going in as a job, they’re not
actually going in for the sake of helping it. I mean I don’t know if you went in... I mean, I'm
just guessing, like, because just, you know, the way they advertise in the papers, they are
advertising for, you know, a successful career or whatever, rather than actually helping
someone.
Adam: What makes you think that though?
Alan: Just, I mean...
ms3: It’s all about money at the end of the day.
Adam: Of course it is. It’s about raising money to help people, so if they didn’t think like a
business, they wouldn't raise as much money, and they wouldn't make any profit.
Page 13 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Alan: But for the middle men, I think it’s all about money for them.
ms2: If they have competitive like wages, then obviously they are taking...

This long interaction contains two significant components that are worth reflecting on.
Firstly, it illustrates the polarisation between a market ideology and motivation, and what
is implied as the true spirit of charity, which is about helping selflessly. It is particularly
important to reflect on this, in light of the data provided in the first part of this report. It
points to a strong expectation that NGOs should be driven by traditional principles of
charity and altruism, and the disappointment that this is no longer the case. Thus the few
examples in section one suggest that while only few people believe that NGOs are good
Samaritans, the majority of participants still hold these values. This suggests an important
gap between public views on humanitarian principles and those principles they perceive to
drive NGOs activities.

Secondly, the widespread concern that the business side of NGOs is antithetical to the
original and ‘true’ aims of charity was believed to affect NGOs’ activities in many ways.
Whilst some were primarily concerned with the self-serving quality of NGOs as a selfserving ‘middle man’ between donors and beneficiaries, others worried about the effects
on the relationship with the beneficiary. Some suggested that as the size of the NGO
grows, the distance between the agency workers and the beneficiaries also expands. As a
consequence, many participants believed that the operations of large NGOs are in danger
of becoming impersonal and saw NGOs’ communications as forms of marketing and
advertising.
Keith: You see there… there again… It's Keith. It’s, when you think about it, whoever produced
these [the communications],(has) done a good job, because that's the idea of producing
things like this, is to actually get to people, especially the older generation, older than me. And
they are doing a good job of actually putting these type of photographs on the […]
It's
how they get you. I think personally, yes, it is. It’s is a form of advertising, marketing
Bruna: What do you think they're advertising?
UM: Well, they're preying for your money, aren’t they?
Keith: They're advertising to get your money. It’s like a car, or something. They're advertising
for you to go and buy that car. I think they're advertising for money, really. That's it.
Bruna: So it’s like a business?
UM: Yes.
UM: I think so personally. It is a business. I think it is a business.

These findings provide important information on how the public perceives NGOs and their
operations, and it also begins to shed light on some of the reasons why members of the
public resist donations. For example:
Bruna: So are you saying it’s not so much the issue of where the victim is and the need is; it’s
more that there’s something about the intermediary, the charity, that is the problem?
Page 14 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Harold : Yes, I think it’s a risky… Sometimes… I see charity donation as 1sometimes a risky
thing to get into.
Hamish: It’s lack of trust now.
Bruna: Lack of trust?
Hamish: No one trusts them.
Page 15 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
SECTION 2: RESPONSES TO INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATIONS
The findings discussed in this section came up in the context of naturally occurring talk (i.e.
the categories were not predetermined, emerged from the data and therefore were not
discussed individually). As a consequence, many of the listed categories appear together in
different combinations. The purpose of this part of the report is not to scrutinise the meaning
of the combinations, but to list the key ways in which communications impacted positively
and negatively on audiences in terms of engaging with the issue, with the agency, and their
willingness to donate in responses.
2.1. Style and Presentation of Communications:
 The communication should be graphically striking, arresting and intriguing. There was
an overall consensus that the presentation of the appeal mattered. Participants responded
to and commented on the role of the style and presentation of the communications in
grabbing people’s attention and stimulating their interest in the topic. This is particularly
relevant in the context of a general ‘fatigue’ as a response to communications that are
perceived to be formulaic and repetitive. It also suggests that branding might be
necessary but it is not a sufficient condition for positive response.
Damien: [...] they need to grab the attention, because most people aren’t, oh, it’s got
ActionAid in the corner, but it doesn’t tell you, you know, it just doesn’t say anything, it’s not
enough, but the ones, I mean, all the others, they all sort of, you know, hit me, but number
nine, which is the one you said you didn’t particularly, I mean, I read that, you know, first the
layer of fat under the skin breaks down etc, and I said, what’s this, I was assuming that this
was for some …Yes, I was assuming, what is this disease, you know, and then, it just hit me,
all they’re describing is the symptoms of starvation, you know, and that was like bang, you
know, that really sort of shocked me, I have actually read it before, but I didn’t remember
right until the punch line, you know.
Bruna: So would it work or wouldn’t work for you?
Damien: Yes, it would work, yes, you know, I find that really distressing, you know.
Lane: Yes. I haven't actually heard of those and... but I saw the picture on the back first and
it's quite a, like, compelling picture, makes you look.

The communication should be visually ‘well put together’ (e.g. fonts, colors and
graphics of the communications) and should work as ‘good advertising’. There were
several ‘aesthetically savvy’ comments which made reference to this kind of detail in the
appeal. Some came from professional photographers or similar expertise, but not
exclusively. This points to the public’s visual sophistication and the prevalence of not just
of a critical appreciation of visual communication, but also of a ‘consumerist’
deconstruction of the function and purpose of the imagery.
Page 16 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Rachel: They’re asking you to kind of sign a petition, or give them a text, basically. So yes, it
feels more immediate, but it also feels…I think this poster (n.2)is bizarre, because it’s got this
horrible image, and then this lovely blue bottom bit, which looks quite happy and cheery,
which I just think is weird. Like it…I find this image completely confusing. And it’s about
children dying, but there’s a child in the picture, like, that’s not. So it’s just a bit weird. Like,
he’s still got a mother, but ….
Regina: She’s comforting herself, doesn’t look as though she’s comforting the child. It sort of
feels as if she’s going to strangle him.

Leaving aside the probably idiosyncratic attribution of blue as ‘cheery colour’, the above
extracts highlight the need for an appeal to have a style and presentation which are
consistent with the message it is trying to convey. It also suggests that humanitarian
communications are expected to convey immediately (i.e. at first impact) a negative
‘mode’ and mood (I will return to this later in terms of when this is resisted or
normalised). When this expectation is not met, the communication comes across as
dissonant and confusing.

The communication should contain a good picture that makes the reader want to know
more. The following extracts highlight the importance of first impressions and the
important role played by the picture in making an initial impact and ‘hooking’ the reader.
However, as Jonathan spells out, this does not guarantee a positive response when the
initial interest is lost amidst formulaic contents. It is nevertheless important, particularly
for readers who are not regular donors, are not existing supporters of the agency, and or
don’t already know the agency. This theme is developed further in the next category.
Jonathan: Yes, number eight. Just amazing picture of a kid. I know I’m contradicting myself
because I said earlier that it’s just a picture of a kid, blah, blah, but that’s a particularly good
picture, and it did make me look inside. I have to say that as soon as I then started to look
inside, it was nothing new, so it was kind of, just hit straight away with the thing, give us
money. Here’s direct debit and all this.
Lia: I didn't really find the picture, like, compelling to look at really.

The first page in the communication should be original, stand out from the
many others, to intrigue the reader to look inside and continue reading it,
rather than dismiss it as formulaic.
Jonathan: All the other ones in there, for whatever reason, I just, I wasn’t trying to think
about them too much. I just had an initial reaction to them, and I put them to one side,
because I didn’t think about, and a lot of those, I have to confess, are because they were
pretty, there was nothing. I almost couldn’t get into what they were actually about, because
the way it was approached, I’ve seen a thousand times, and I think there’s something to be
said for the fact that when people keep churning over the same ground, we have this, I think,
just naturally, we start to build up this immunity.
Page 17 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Lucy: It would definitely make me look at it again and see... like, out of all of them, I actually
read all of that one because it's quite short, which sometimes when it's too much I think you
just get bogged down in it. But also, because it was... it had that different slant on it, it made
me more intrigued about what it actually said.

All the extracts so far illustrate the importance of good quality and intriguing ‘first
impressions’. However, this was counteracted by concerns about the function of
‘intriguing’ and ‘arresting’ pictures.

The communication should not be edited for ‘maximum effect’. Because of the
widespread alertness to the possibility of being manipulated, whilst audiences are
attracted by a good quality picture, they resist and resent the use of Photoshop. The
comments below suggest that when the manipulation is too blatant, it has a negative
effect on audiences’ response and further feeds into the distrust in agencies and their
perceived manipulative intentions. This particularly from visually sensitive/savvy
participants.
Nick: (n.8) However, going to the shock tactics with the child with the very big white eyes I
feel that’s enhanced somewhat. I don’t think it’s the true picture and I don’t like that at all. I
don’t trust it one little bit. [...] I don’t like that one little bit, no. It looks like it’s been edited
and...
Bruna: So you think that that child doesn’t actually look like that.
Nick: It’s just the eyes and the way the camera flashes. The camera flash is very bright in the
face but then the railings behind her have got no light on them whatsoever and it’s definitely
enhanced I would say, but that’s just my opinion.
2.2. Picture or Text?
 There were mixed results from the groups as to whether pictures were more effective
than text.
Nick: Just... this might be off the topic a bit but thinking about this as a leaflet I think it is just
words and words are obviously easily forgotten. I think if it’s an advert I think it would be a
lot better. I think it would have brought across the message a lot better.
Marianne: I think, I agree with Melissa in the first, that the photos are more instantly shocking.
I think that gets your attention very instantly. I think the text, although it is shocking what
you’re reading, it takes that little bit longer, you’ve got to process it. I think you have to think
about it more whereas something visual is an immediate impact and that takes your breath
away and I do agree, like I say, with Melissa that the images of the children, certainly the
malnourished and the, you know, obviously very poor and obviously unkempt are the more
extreme in my shocking radar.

Overall, comments on this topic suggest that pictures might be more effective for new
donors, while text is more suitable for existing donors (those who have already subscribed
to the depicted cause)
Page 18 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014

In terms of format it should be simple, small, and appealing. Many participants in
different groups made reference to the importance of the format. A small format was
overwhelmingly preferred and it was suggested that it invites audiences to read the
appeal (but not necessarily to act). This implicitly makes reference to another issue that
makes an appearance in different modalities in the vast majority of extracts: what kind of
demand is made on the audience? In this particular case it’s a demand in terms of time
and attention. Many agreed that if the appeal is too long, i.e. if it demands prolonged
attention from the reader, it discourages them from reading it.
Francesca: I think that this Action Aid one (n.11), there's too much information, to be honest.
It’s like a little book. I don't know if anyone thinks that, but it’s just.[...] It’s just too much
information so they’ve got another one which is a bit smaller. But this one, I didn’t like this
one at all; there was too much information. [...]

It should not be lavish or appear to be wasteful of resources. Several participants
reacted very strongly to communications which appear to be too expensive, flashy, and
extravagant. Conversely, signs that agencies are careful with resources (including natural
resources, e.g. using recycled paper) were appreciated as agencies ‘doing their bit’.
Dennis : That one, disgusting, don’t like, that one, I don’t like it because, number 11,because
they can spend so much advertising that and then not put the money to better use.
Bruna: May I say that that is not used for advertising actually, it only gets sent ...
Dennis : Even sending it out, justifying the price of actually doing all of that and then that’s
where my money is probably going, to actually pay for all that being printed, stuff like that,
that’s quite infuriating
Eamon: How much would that cost (n.11)? Presentation; I’m not in printing but I knew... I
know, for instance that might have cost 20 quid – that cost about... yes, [...]so if that costs
me... that one there is 20 quid, there’s nine of us, that’s 180 quid straightaway..
Florence: I think from reading one of them, it said 100% recycled paper, which I really liked
because it made me think that you should, they're doing their little bit, which would make me
a little bit more likely to give, even though I wouldn’t. It’s nice to feel that they're doing
something and they're not just telling me to do something and they're not doing something
themselves.

Despite evidence that audiences are visually savvy, as discussed earlier, the overarching
view of communications is that they are essentially a means to an end. What is conveyed
by all the comments above is that, while the visual qualities of the appeal are noted,
priority should be given to what the appeal should ‘do’ rather than its appearance. As the
quotes illustrate, adherence to this principle has a significant effect not just on reactions
to the individual appeal, but on the perception of the agencies’ capacity for administering
donations wisely.
Page 19 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
2.3. Content of the Appeal:

The content should be ‘short and sweet’. It should not be too verbose, but well
worded, to the point and punchy.
Dennis : Then number 3 appealed because of its impact, it’s short, it’s sweet and it works
Ernie: When I was looking at it and just says, I like the message, it’s a simple, small and
appealing leaflet, and it makes you want to read it, and so I read it.

Communication should go ‘back to basics’, and be clear and straightforward.
Hank: I think the Oxfam one (n.1) quiet one is simple, straight to the point, and it gets you.
[...] Yes, it’s enough for what you need, rather than like the other guy said about the other
one; it’s… there’s a lot in it and I think that’s just… that serves the purpose.
BS: So that would work for you?
Hank: Yes.
Harry: Yes.
BS: And how would you react to that?
Hank: Well, I would read through it, and if I wanted to donate or whatever, I probably would
do, because, you know, it’s about, obviously, disasters and that, and I think it’s straight to the
point.

It should speak to the reader, rather than being out of touch with audiences
(which in turn makes them lose interest, lose respect for the agency and feel
insulted, irritated and infuriated).
Hugo: I was looking through this one here, this, number seven, and it’s like… starts at £20 a
month and goes up to £100 a month! I’m like… yes, I’m going to laugh? What… it’s like,
what’s all that?
UM: It’s supposed to be donate what you can afford!
Hugo: You know, like…I suppose if they said, donate what you can…but, I mean, it starts at,
what, $20 [sic] a month! I mean, [...]But I mean, I just… as I was flicking through them all, I
just thought, they’re having a laugh, aren’t they [...] At this time, I think, like, you know,
you’d have to be earning a lot of money, wouldn’t you, to be giving that sort of money away a
month?
Bruna: Does it mean that you feel that they’re not speaking to you?
Hugo: Definitely, that’s not speaking to me. I wouldn’t…
Hamish: Yes, I mean, I don’t think any of us would be putting, like, 100 pound a month into a
charity. Definitely not talking to me.

It should not just ask for money but it should also educate the reader. This presents a
challenge for fundraisers because of immediate negative response to requests for
donations, beyond emergency communications.
Jonathan: but this one, number 12, which is, I think, out of the lot, was the best
Jerry: Yes, definitely.
Page 20 of 44
one.
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Jonathan: Easily.
Jerry: A hole in the hand, like makes you think, what…?
Jonathan: It’s not just that. I saw that and I thought, I didn’t particularly think that was an
amazing picture, but obviously, like, it’s okay, and then I turned over and saw the thing on the
next thing, that artillery destroyer.
Jerry: Yes, that’s…
Jonathan: At first I thought it was, like, fireworks or something, and then I read it and I was
like, oh my God. That’s, like, a cluster bomb attack or something, isn’t it? And, then you
realise these people are running for their lives, and that really hit home, and then that made
me want to read all of this, and then what I realised is, as I was reading it, I didn’t feel like
when I read these things. I didn’t feel like it was trying to get money out of me. I felt like it
was trying to educate me, and so that made me want to read more. In fact, I didn’t finish
reading all of it, because I didn’t have enough time, so…if you’ve got a spare one, I’ll take it
away.

The content should be facilitative; it should enable the reader to engage with
the communication and respond.
Jonathan: I picked loads, but another one (n.9), this is ironic, because it doesn’t have a picture
on it, but number nine. This one, it started to, because there isn’t a picture, I just started to
read it, and it was quite, “ it’s the first layer of fat under the skin breaks down and then
muscles start to waste away. Without nourishment, the liver, spleen”, it’s quite graphic, and
for some reason, when I started to read it, it almost sounded…it was, I read a lot of poetry as
well, and kind of, I started to read it, and it kind of like, almost put a rhythmic tempo to it, and
I started to read it, and it struck a chord with me a little bit.
Bruna: So, it’s the poetics of what is written?
Jonathan: Well, it isn’t a poem at all, in any respect, but I said, I naturally started, just the
way I read it, and I sped up and then the whole thing a bit fading out slightly as well. I quite
liked it as well. [...]Yes, and that for me was a hell of a lot more effective than something that
had a picture of a crying kid on the front.
2.3.1. Should it Depict Children?

Opinions on this point were divided: most people recognised that a communication
containing a child has immediate impact. However, while some (mainly but not exclusively
women) did not resist this stimulus, others felt it to be an overused mode of
communication. Out of this group, in some it evoked a ‘tired’ reaction (over-exposure)
while others felt irritated at being manipulated. It is therefore crucial for agencies to
acknowledge that there is widespread public awareness that using children is a successful
manipulative tool and that audiences are beginning to resist these strategies outright.
Melissa: Yes. I find it rather upsetting when you see a child that’s looking starved, unkempt,
usually very think and malnutrition and so forth. So that, yes, I would want to, I think, do
something or help there.
Page 21 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Quincy: Look, I mean, I think some in particular sort of pull at you. What pull at me? Oh, they
all pull at me. I suppose when, especially when you, sort of, see things with children, as well,
which tends to get to you the worst, well, especially because I’ve just got a young child
myself, so they tend to pull you a bit. They also have a… some sense whether or not… you
don’t know about what’s really going on in the true sense but...
Daniel: Without being horrendous, you know, it’s bad obviously, but yes, again, [...]that one
is obviously horrible, but as I say, I’m afraid, starving children, I tend to overlook it, I’m really
sorry, you know, I think it’s been done quite a lot, personally.
Dominic: I’m like everybody else, number three I should say, I don’t look at the children’s one,
it’s in your face every day of the week, so I just switch off, [...] the children’s’ one, I’m like,
you walk down the street, there’s a billboard, you walk down ten minutes later, there’s another
billboard, and it’s on the telly, and I’ve timed it, every advert that comes on TV, it’s Help The
Children, Help The Children, you get to the stage you just turn and walk away, it’s too much in
your face, the kids, kids is a selling point, I had two, you know, you want selling points, go to
your grandparents, they will give you it, and sure as hell, they bought it, you know, children
will sell, they will sell you anything, and that’s why they’re using, and it just turns me ff
2.4. Conclusions and Recommendations:
Participants unanimously agreed that communications should have the following four
qualities.

It should contain manageable amounts of facts and basic (not necessarily
simplistic) information.
Becky: And this one (N.5) I picked because it’s simple, and it’s telling me how I can help. […]
But this specifically I picked because it’s direct, it’s simple and it’s telling you how and who I
can help. I liked it.
Bianca: It’s number five, it’s straightforward, it’s giving you a few facts without overdosing
you.
UF: It’s very straightforward.
Bianca: Straight talking, this is the simple truth about poverty, what are you waiting for, things
you can do that are realistic. I’m going to read this. If I get a booklet that’s three or four... or
humungous, I’m not going to read it. I’ll probably skip through this.

It should make an emotionally manageable impact. (this is particularly
important in connection to the next point).
Page 22 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014

It should offer practical, manageable and effective actions and solutions to the
problem depicted (crucial as it offers a release from the difficult emotions
evoked by the appeal). This applies to both what the reader is asked/invited to, and
what the agencies are proposing to do with donations.
Francesca: It’s (n.5) got a full comprehensive list of things that you could do in order to, you
know, donate money, but one of them was, you know, hold an event which is cake-baking or,
you know, bike riding and stuff like that, so it’s got a good list and I thought that was clever
because some people think, well, I don't want to give money directly and you can do
fundraising. So I thought that was good, so this is one of my favourites.

It should connect to the reader’s foundational values and moral principles.
Caroline: You just sort of get a sinking feeling when you realise there are so many people in
the world suffering so much and, you know, with your limited resources you can only help a
certain amount and I started to look through and I am quite interested in politics and I
thought, well a lot of the reasons for poverty in the world are political and for that reason I got
a bit distracted by this one (N.2) in particular about the conflict in Gaza.
Jonathan: Yes, it’s the one about Burma, and the only reason I looked a bit deeper with this is
because I know a little bit about it, and so I recognised the picture on the front, and I know
that she’s like effectively a leader in exile, or not in exile. She was imprisoned. That’s wrong,
and like, yet nobody really does anything about it, you know? Internationally, and I know that
Amnesty are, sort of like, trying to bring attention to it, kind of thing. That’s the only reason I
looked at that one, is because I had some background in it, and so I put the note on it that I
remembered it.
Page 23 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Appendix A: KARMA’s Research Aims, Methodology and Ethics
Background:
The frequency and scale of humanitarian disasters is increasing, as reflected in their high
visibility in the global media. Whilst still responding generously to humanitarian emergencies,
the British public seems to be increasingly critical of and reluctant to commit to on-going
support of humanitarian and international development agencies. In these highly challenging
times for the humanitarian sector and humanitarianism more generally, it seems ever more
urgent to understand how the public relates and responds to humanitarian crises and
international development causes.
The KARMA study sought to shed new light on the UK public’s understandings and
reactions to humanitarian communications, including campaigns about international
development issues and humanitarian communications. To do so this study explored how
people make sense of the images and narratives of distant suffering that agencies generate
and how ideologies, emotions and biographical experiences shape those responses. This
study also explored how agencies plan and think about their communications. The specific
research questions addressed by this study are as follows:




What are the public’s immediate responses to humanitarian messages and what do
people do with their knowledge?
What kinds of motivations and influences inform their actions? How do people justify
and explain their responses?
What biographical and emotional factors might facilitate or discourage moral action?
How do the public's moral responses correspond (or not) with what humanitarian
agencies hope for, and with their thinking about the communications they produce?
Methodology:
The data collection for this study was spread over the following three phases:
 A series of 20 demographically representative focus groups throughout the UK (total 182
people)
 Interviews with members of humanitarian agencies, which will allow for an investigation of
the relationship between the production and reception of humanitarian messages.
 A series of in-depth one-on-one interviews with 10 audience members.
Ethics:
To ensure the protection of participants’ sensitive information and privacy, all of their names
have been replaced with pseudonyms in all publications, and their information has been kept
confidential and only accessible to members of the research project. Additionally, all
participants were informed of the nature of the project and given the following information
sheet and consent form.
Page 24 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Information Sheet
Small world: Attitudes towards and perceptions of what goes on around us in the world
We would like you to take part in this research project. It is funded by the Leverhulme Trust and is carried out
independently by the Psychosocial Studies Department, Birkbeck, in collaboration with the Media and
Communications Department, LSE.
You have been contacted at random by interviewers from The Field Department to help us with this project. Your
participation is voluntary and much appreciated. We would like you to participate in this study as we believe that
you can make an important contribution to the research. If you do not wish to participate you are free to drop out at
any time.
If you are happy to participate, please read this information sheet and sign the consent form. We will then ask you
to participate in an informal focus group discussion with eight other people like yourself. The group discussion will
be lead by Dr. Bruna Seu and/or Dr. Frances Flanagan from Birkbeck, University of London. At the discussion you will
be given an information pack and you will be asked to describe and discuss your responses and your thoughts. The
discussion should last approximately an hour and a half and refreshments will be served. The discussion will be
audio and videotaped for internal use by the researchers only, and will not be seen or heard by anyone outside this
study.
After the focus group discussions are completed some people may be given the opportunity to take part in a followup discussion at a future date just on a one-to-one basis with Bruna where they have the chance to express their
views in greater detail. We very much hope that people will want to take up this offer and have found in the past
that it is something past participants have enjoyed doing very much. If you are requested to participate in this
follow-up interview, you will be given a detailed explanation of the process at that stage, a separate consent form,
as well as an additional incentive payment.
What are the possible disadvantages and risk of taking part?
Some of the material you will look at in the focus group may be disturbing, and may stir up emotions or thoughts
that you find uncomfortable in the same way as some people find some newspaper or TV coverage uncomfortable.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
People enjoy these discussions very much – it’s a place where many different viewpoints are exchanged and where
there are no right and wrong answers. You will receive £35 as a token of our thanks for your participation once the
discussion is finished. You may also find the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the issues interesting and
informative, and by giving your time in this way you will have made a contribution to an important research field.
What will be done with the research?
We are hoping to write a book and a number of articles based on the research.
Will my responses be kept confidential?
All the personal information you provide to us will be kept strictly confidential at all times, and only members of the
research team will have access to that information. The responses you give to our questions will be anonymised.
Identifiable responses will not be provided to any other third party. Information emanating from the study will only
be made public in a completely unattributable format or at the aggregate level in order to ensure that no participant
will be identified.
Page 25 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
All data collection, storage and processing will comply with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the EU
Directive 95/46 on Data Protection.
Who can I contact with any questions about the study?
If you have any questions about the study or any information you wish to add after the focus group is complete,
please contact Dr Frances Flanagan on 020 7631 6678 or f.flanagan@bbk.ac.uk or Dr Bruna Seu on 020 7631 6539 or
b.seu@bbk.ac.uk . Dr Flanagan and Dr Seu’s mailing address is School of Psychosocial Studies, Birkbeck, University
of London, Malet St, London WC1 E7HX.
Thank you in advance for all your help.
Page 26 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Participant Consent Form
I have read the participant information sheet for this research project and understand the following:
1. That I am free to withdraw at any time
2. That all information I provide will be dealt with in a confidential manner
3. I agree that the researcher may contact me after the focus group
Signed…………………………………………………………………………………..
Print name ……………………………………………………………………………
Address…………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Email address ……………………………………………………………………….
Telephone Number………………………………………………………………
Date……………………………………………………………………………………..
Page 27 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Appendix B: Table of Participant Demographics
Socioeconomic
grouping
Sex [M/F]
Occupation
Ethnicity
Sexuality
Marital Status
and age of
children (if any)
Albert
C1
Male
19
Administrator
White British
Straight
Single
Allen
B
Male
25
Financial Controller
Bengali
Straight
Co-hab
Andrew
B
Male
21
Quantity Surveyor
White British
Straight
Single
Alex
C1
Male
18
White British
Gay
Single
Aaron
C1
Male
25
Student
Corporate Travel
Consultant
Straight
Single
Adam
C1
Male
23
Media Operations
White British
Black African/White
Mixed race
Straight
Single
Anthony
C1
Male
20
Retail Supervisor
Black Caribbean
Straight
Single
Alistair
B
Male
25
Credit Manager
Black African
Straight
Single
Adrian
C1
Male
18
Student
White British
Gay
Bridget
C2
Female
60
White British
Straight
Bonnie
C2
Female
64
Afro-Caribbean
Straight
Belinda
C2
Female
60
Avon Lady
Complimentary
Therapist
Part-Time Yoga
Instructor
Black British
Straight
Becky
E
Female
65
Retired
White British
Straight
Barbara
D
Female
56
Market Trader
White British
Straight
Single
Widow, empty
nester
Co-hab, Empty
Nester
Separated, 2 kids
ages 18 & 22
Separated, empty
nester
Married, kid age
19
Betty
C2
Female
56
Cook
White British
Straight
Blanca
C2
Female
56
White British
Straight
Billie
C2
Female
60
Teaching Assistant
Music Teaching
Assistant
White British
Straight
Brenda
E
Female
65
Retired
White British
Straight
Single
Married, 2 kids
ages 18 & 19
Widow, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Candice
C1
Female
65
Cleaner
White British
Straight
Co-hab
Caroline
C1
Female
65
Retired Teacher
White British
Straight
Divorced
Cathy
C2
Female
73
Retired Appliance Fitter
White British
Straight
Widow
Cordelia
C2
Female
65
Retired House Cleaner
White British
Straight
Married
Carmen
C1
Female
65
White British
Straight
Cynthia
C2
Female
68
Retired Antiques Dealer
Retired NHS
Maintenance Worker
White British
Straight
Married
Divorced, kid age
44
Pseudonym
Age
Page 28 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Chloe
C1
Female
65
Book Keeper
Jewish
Straight
Single
Christina
C!
Female
70
Retired Book Keeper
White British
Straight
Married
Claire
C1
Female
73
House Sitter
White British
Straight
Divorced
Dwight
C2
Male
35
Bricklayer
Irish White
Straight
Single
Daniel
C1
Male
37
Credit Admin
White British
Gay
Darren
C2
Male
41
Painter and Decorator
White British
Straight
Single
Single, 2 kids ages
2 & 13
Damien
C1
Male
45
Sergeant Major
Scottish White
Gay
Single
Dennis
C1
Male
37
Bar Manager
White British
Gay
Single
Desmond
C1
Male
45
Artist
White British
Straight
Divorced
Dominic
C2
Male
44
Printer
White British
Straight
Co-hab
Don
C2
Male
39
Train Driver
White British
Gay
Co-hab
Doug
C2
Male
37
Block Paver
White British
Straight
Married
Edward
C1
Male
56
Civil Servant
White
Gay
Married
Edgar
C1
Male
56
Manager
White
Gay
Edmund
C2
Male
56
HGV
Black
Straight
Ernie
C2
Male
56
Builder
White
Straight
Eamon
C2
Male
60
Retired Electrician
White
Straight
Eddie
C1
Male
64
White
Straight
Edison
C1
Male
63
Retired manager,
Retired Company
Director
White
Straight
Earl
C1
Male
65
Retired Police Officer,
White
Straight
Married
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Co-hab, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Florence
C2
Female
20
Student
Black
Straight
Single
Francesca
C2
Female
22
Housewife
Black
Straight
Single, kid age 2
Francine
D
Female
20
Domestic Cleaner
White
Straight
Couple
Fawzia
E
Female
25
Housewife
White
Straight
Single, kid age 5
Felicity
C2
Female
25
Housewife
White
Straight
Couple, 2 kids
ages 9 & 3
Felicia
D
Female
25
Unemployed
White
Straight
Couple
Page 29 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Fiona
D
Female
22
Counter Assistant
White
Straight
Couple, 2 kids
ages 3 & 1
Flora
C2
Female
21
Sales
White
Straight
Single
Freda
E
Female
21
White
Straight
Gabrielle
B
Female
65
Jewish
Straight
Gail
B
Female
65
Housewife
Retired Accounts
Secretary
Retired Box Office
Cashier
White British
Straight
Gemma
C1
Female
67
Retired Nurse
White British
Straight
Genevieve
B
Female
66
Retired Secretary
Jewish
Straight
Georgia
C1
Female
70
White British
Straight
Gaynor
C1
Female
71
White British
Straight
Geraldine
B
Female
66
Retired Deli Owner
Retired Senior
Administrator
Retired Property
manager
Jewish
Straight
Gita
B
Female
65
Housewife
Jewish
Straight
Gertrude
C1
Female
68
Retired Retail Manager
White British
Straight
Harry
D
Male
50
Panel beater
White British
Straight
Hal
E
Male
46
Unemployed Printer
White British
Straight
Hamid
E
Male
47
Unemployed Builder
White British
Straight
Hamish
D
Male
46
Taxi driver
Black Caribbean
Straight
Hank
D
Male
52
Wagon Loader
Mixed Race
Straight
Hans
C2
Male
48
Painter/Decorator
White British
Straight
Habib
C2
Male
46
Publican
White British
Straight
Halim
C2
Male
47
Joiner (self-employed)
White British
Straight
Hanif
C2
Male
47
Painter/Decorator
White British
Straight
Single, 6 months
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Widowed, empty
nester
Widowed, empty
nester
Divorced, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Divorced, empty
nester
Married, kid age
15
Married, kid age
18
Married, 2 kids
ages 9 & 10
Co-hab, 2 kids
ages 4 & 6
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Co-hab, 3 kids
ages 15, 17 & 18
Married, 2 kids
ages 4 & 20
Married, 3 kids
ages 15, 17 & 19
Ingrid
AB
Female
47
Care home manager
White British
Straight
Iris
AB
Female
54
Accountant
White British
Straight
Ida
C1
Female
56
Sales Administrator
White British
Straight
Ianthe
C1
Female
50
Administrator
White British
Straight
Imogen
C1
Female
47
White British
Straight
Indigo
AB
Female
53
Estate Agent
Telecommunications
Manager
White British
Straight
Page 30 of 44
Co-hab, kid age 9
Married, empty
nester
Divorced, kid age
16
Divorced, kid age
18
Married, 2 kids
ages 18 & 16
Married, 2 kids
ages 13 & 19
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Isabella
AB
Female
52
Lawyer
White British
Straight
Divorced, 2 kids
ages 8 & 14
Isla
C1
Female
50
property manager
White British
Gay
Single
Julian
C2
Male
35
Painter/Decorator
White British
Straight
Co-hab, kid age 2
Jonathan
E
Male
29
Registered Disabled
White British
Straight
Jack
C2
Male
35
Windscreen Fitter
White British
Straight
Married, kid age 4
Married, 3 kids
ages 5, 7 & 16
Jeremy
D
Male
26
Sales Assistant
Black
Straight
Single
Joshua
D
Male
34
Steel Polisher
White British
Straight
Married
John
C2
Male
33
Musician
White British
Straight
Single
Jerry
D
Male
28
Packer
White British
Straight
Co-hab
James
E
Male
35
Unemployed
White British
Straight
Co-hab
Jim
D
Male
28
Call Centre Assistant
White British
Straight
Kevin
D
Male
70
Gardener
White
Straight
Kieran
D
Male
66
Retired Groundskeeper
White
Straight
Kai
D
Male
72
Retired Factory Worker
White
Straight
Kaleb
D
Male
66
Gardener
White
Straight
Kane
C2
Male
65
Painter/Decorator
White
Straight
Keanu
D
Male
65
Retired Postman
White
Straight
Keith
C2
Male
67
Retired Tool Setter
White
Straight
Ken
C2
Male
69
Retired Toolmaker
White
Straight
Keon
C2
Male
65
Retired HGV Driver
Italian
Straight
Single
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, empty
nester
Married, 3 kids
ages 37, 15 & 13
Lucy
B
Female
35
Teacher
White
Gay
Co-hab
Layla
C1
Female
26
Administrator
Black British
Straight
Lane
B
Female
31
Teacher
White
Straight
Lara
C1
Female
32
Data Analyst
White
Straight
Larissa
B
Female
30
Office Manager
White
Straight
Single
Married,
expecting first
baby
Married,
expecting first
baby
Co-hab, 2 kids
ages 3 & 9
months
Page 31 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Latifa
B
Female
30
Accountant
White
Straight
Co-hab
Leanne
C1
Female
33
Financial Investigator
White
Straight
Married, kid age 2
Lia
C1
Female
26
Student
Mixed Race Caribbean
Straight
Co-hab, kid age 3
Melissa
B
Female
26
Accountant
White
Straight
Mary
C1 (C2)
Female
47
School Support Worker
English
Straight
Married
Married, 2 kids
ages 17 & 15
Marianne
C2
Female
46
Housewife
Pakistani
Straight
Michelle
C1
Female
46
Social Worker
English
Straight
Michaela
C1
Female
50
Sales Assistant
English
Straight
Monica
C2
Female
47
Merchandiser
English
Straight
Milly
C1
Female
55
Sales Assistant
English
Straight
Meg
C2
Female
43
Hospital Technician
English
Straight
Marcie
C2
Female
49
Theatre Technician
English
Straight
Married
Married. 2 kids
ages 24 & 26
Nathan
C1
Male
19
Call Centre Assistant
English
Straight
Single
Nigel
C2
Male
18
Student
English
Straight
Single
Nick
C2
Male
23
Mechanic
English
Straight
Single
Neil
C1
Male
22
Carer Special Needs
Pakistani
Straight
Single
Neville
C1
Male
18
Window Cleaner
English
Straight
Single
Newman
C1
Male
20
Student
English
Gay
Nelson
C2
Male
20
Security Guard
English
Straight
Single
Co-hab, kid age
10 months
Nathaniel
C1
Male
21
Student
English
Straight
Nachman
C1
Male
21
Manager
English
Straight
Oliver
B1
Male
56-65
Welsh
Straight
Oscar
C1
Male
56-65
Lecturer
Retired Agriculture
Officer
Welsh
Straight
Otto
C1
Male
56-65
Retired Financial
Advisor
Welsh
Straight
Married
Separated, 2 kids
ages 17 & 14
Divorced, kid age
10
Married
Married, kid age
28
Single
Co-hab, 2 kids
ages 1 & 3
Married, kids
(ages not
specified)
Married, kid age
16
Married kids (ages
not specified)
Married kids (ages
not specified)
Oberon
B
Male
56-65
Retired Police Inspector
Welsh
Page 32 of 44
Straight
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Octovio
B
Male
56-65
Retired Maths Teacher
Welsh
Straight
Retired Museum
Administrator
Welsh
Straight
Welsh
Straight
Welsh
Straight
Married
Married, kids
(ages not
specified)
Married, kids
(ages not
specified)
Ogden
B
Male
56-65
Omar
C1
Male
56-65
Orion
B
Male
56-65
Hostel Manager
Retired Agricultural
Chemist
Orlando
B
Male
56-65
Retired Banker
Welsh
Straight
Married
Married, kids
(ages not
specified)
Polly
C2
Female
45
Housekeeper
Welsh
Straight
Single
Patricia
D
Female
42
Unemployed
Welsh
Straight
Penny
D
Female
43
Kitchen Assistant
Welsh
Straight
Single, kid age 17
Married, 2 kids
ages 7 & 9
Pearl
D
Female
43
Shop Assistant
English
Straight
Single
Pam
C2
Female
*
Shop Manager
Welsh
Straight
Pattie
D
Female
45
not working
Welsh
Straight
Married
Married, 3 kids
ages 16, 15 & 13
Paula
C2
Female
42
classroom assistant
Welsh
Straight
Married, kid age 7
Quincy
B
Male
36
Account Manager
White
Gay
Quinn
C1
Male
44
Fire-fighter
Indian
Straight
Co-hab
Married, kid age
18
Qadair
B
Male
41
Property Agent
White
Straight
Married, kid age 2
Quimby
B
Male
36
Teacher
Indian
Straight
Quigley
C1
Male
42
Prison Officer
White
Straight
Quennel
A
Male
44
Operations Director
White
Straight
Quasim
B
Male
39
Chartered Surveyor
White
Straight
Engaged
Married, 3 kids
ages 8, 12 & 15
Married, 2 kids
ages 16 & 18
Married, 3 kids
ages 8, 11, & 13
Quade
B
Male
36
White
Straight
Single
Quimat
B
Male
36
Architect
Management
Development
White
Straight
Married, kid age 1
Rachel
C1
Female
26
Freelance Illustrator
White British
Straight
Single
Rebecca
C2
Female
29
Barmaid
White British
Straight
Regina
C2
Female
35
Housewife
Indian
Straight
Co-hab, pregnant
Married, kids (age
not specified)
Rita
C1
Female
26
Student
White British
Straight
Single
Page 33 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Raina
C1
Female
35
Horticultural Therapist
White British
Straight
Renee
C2
Female
33
Part-time Jeweller
White British
Straight
Single, kid age 11
Married, 2 kids
ages 4 & 6
Rana
C1
Female
33
Civil Servant
White British
Straight
Married, kid age 3
Reba
C2
Female
29
Administrator
White British
Straight
Co-hab
Sebastian
C1
Male
28
Manual labour
White
-
-
Stewart
C1
Male
28
Handyman
White
-
-
Sean
C1
Male
19
Student
British/Bangladesh
-
-
Scott
C1
Male
22
Bangladeshi
-
-
Saul
C1
Male
24
Forklife driver
White British / Irish
-
-
Steven
C1
Male
30
Unemployed
British
-
-
Simon
C1
Male
18
Student
British/Bangladeshi
-
-
Spencer
C1
Male
25
Sculptor
White Irish
-
-
Samuel
C1
Male
19
Sales Assistant
Bangladeshi
-
-
Tabatha
C2
Female
33
Full-time mother
African
-
3 children
Trisha
C2
Female
26
Full-time mother
African
-
1 child
Tamara
C2
Female
21
Unemployed
-
-
Theresa
C2
Female
23
Childcare Practitioner
Mixed/English
Mixed
Black/White/African
-
-
Tavi
C2
Female
30
Artist
White
-
-
Tania
C2
Female
28
Student
Black British
-
Taylor
C2
Female
26
Black Caribbean
-
-
Thea
C2
Female
27
White
-
-
-
Barista
Page 34 of 44
1 child:
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Appendix C: NGO Communications
The following are images from the 11 NGO communications packages that were used during
the focus group interviews with members of the UK public.
1. Oxfam
Page 35 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
2. Save the Children
3. Disasters Emergency Committee
Page 36 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
4. Plan UK
5. Actionaid
6. Actionaid
Page 37 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
7. Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
8. UNICEF
Page 38 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
9. Save The Children
10. Amnesty International
11. Amnesty International
Page 39 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
Appendix D: Semi-Structured Interview Schedule
I would like to get a general idea of your response to what you have seen. Any kind of
comment will be really helpful; it can relate to one particular appeal or campaign you have
seen now, or to more than one, or to something else you have seen or heard even though it
is not covered here.
This part of the discussion will be free flowing and I will say little at this stage apart from
asking for clarification. Feel free to respond to each other without coming back to me at this
stage.
What is your reaction (thoughts, feelings) in reading this information?
a. What gut reaction did you have when you read this information?
b. Could you give me two or three words that would summarise your main feelings after
seeing the information?
c. How do you feel about the victims?
d. Are there any elements to the communication which arouse a particularly strong emotional
reaction in you?
e. Which of these feelings makes you want to do something?/ which instead makes you want
to turn away?
What kind of thoughts did you have when you saw the information in your pack
Could you summarise your general attitude/the way you think about these issues?
Often people comment that we should look after our own first – do you agree? What are your
thoughts on this - do you think we are responsible for distant strangers? Do you think we, as
individuals and communities, ought to help other people, like the ones described in the
leaflets, who are so distant from us?
In what circumstances do you think it is appropriate for people from other countries to help
people suffering in faraway places?
Some people say that money won’t help, but also that giving money is not the best way to
help the humanitarian cause. What is your opinion on this? Do you have any thoughts on
what else people could do to help?
Do you feel you can help or make a difference in any way? What do you think would make
you feel you can make a difference?
What do you think are the factors the prevent people from doing more about these issues?
Page 40 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
If you were in a humanitarian crisis or a victim of HR abuse, what do you think you would
want happen?
I imagine you have seen this kind of information before, right? Let’s start with few general
questions:
a. What is your ordinary response to information of this kind: (prompts: what are your
thoughts and feelings when you get one of these?) Remember, there isn’t a right or wrong
answer; please be as honest as you can.
b. Does any of these appeals produce guilt in any of you? How do you react to guilt? Does it
spur you into action?
c. If not guilt, what do you feel would help you to contribute or/and act?
d. What are your feelings when you see appeals of this kind on a train, in a newspaper or
when it comes through your letterbox? Were the feelings you experienced today different to
what you experience in those circumstances?
e. Does it make a difference where you see them (e.g. do you have a different response if
the appeal comes through your letterbox rather than seeing it on a train?)
f. What do you ordinarily do when you get it? (Prompts: do you read it? Bin it? Put it away to
read it later? Ignore it? Donate? )
I would like you to go back to your information pack and go through the information more
carefully. Feel free to scribble on them if something in particular strikes you and/or highlight
particular words. When there is text to read, I would like you to behave as you would
ordinarily: read it to the end if that’s what you would normally do or make a note of where
you stopped reading and, if you can, why you stopped at that point.
a. Which, if any, of these leaflets would you pay attention to if you received them through
your letterbox or saw them in the street? Which ones would you read? Why?
b. Do the appeals speak to you? What do you understand their message(s) to be?
c. Is the message in some of the appeals clearer than in others? You might want to give
different answers for different appeals.
d. I want to ask you now about the amount of information contained in these appeals. Do
you feel it would make a difference to have more/less information? How does it?
e. Does the individual story make a difference? In what way?
f. Does it make a difference if there is a visual image? Does it matter if the image is realistic
rather than staged?
Page 41 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
g. Does it make a difference if the situation is an emergency rather than an ongoing
situation?
Before I have asked you to describe your reactions in general, now I would like you to be
more specific. I am going to ask you about specific actions in relations to the information in
your pack:
a. Which appeals you would ignore or throw away – why?
b. Which ones would make you donate (this include one-off donations) – why?
c. Which ones would motivate you to find out more about the issue or the organization?
d. Which ones would motivate you to do something else (volunteer, join an organization, read
more about independently, write a letter or anything else) – what would that be?
e. Which ones would stay with you; is likely to make you think about it tomorrow/ in a week’s
time?
f. Does it make a difference if the problem is a natural disaster rather than something caused
by other human beings?
g. Some people say that it helps them to respond if the appeal mentions a clear solution. Do
you feel the same? How does it work for you?
h. What do you think of the solutions that the leaflets recommend?
i. Is there anything that you would like to see in appeals that would stimulate you into action?
j. If you decide to act (by donating, volunteering, writing a letter etc) how does that action
make you feel? (possible prompts: relieved, proud, excited, empowered, as though I have
been true to my values/faith/obligations, connected to others, informed)
k. Do you think these organizations have given a fair representation of the issues in these
leaflets?
l. Are any of the organizations who have produced these leaflets familiar to you? Do their
values accord with your own?
m. Are there any organizations here you do not trust?
n. A lot of these leaflets mention money – how do you think the money will be spent? Does it
matter to you to know how the money gets spent?
o. Do you trust these organizations to spend the money they are given appropriately?
Some people say it’s a miracle that we care and help others in the first place. What do you
think makes people get involved in these kind of issues?
Page 42 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
1. Do you think of yourself as a moral person? Why? (remember, I am not assuming you are
not; I’m fascinated by how people think about these things)
2. Which of these institutions, if any, do you see as part of your moral community: family,
friends, church, the state, charities, workplace, the media?
3. I am sure you currently are or have in the past taken care of others in some way (e.g.
friends, partners, elderly relatives, children, neighbours, pets etc.), but do you feel personally
involved in any of the issues described by the leaflet? Do you feel the appeals speak to you
personally? In short, do you feel this is your business?
4. I am sure you know or have known people in the past who have been in need of care of
some kind (eg. friends, partners, elderly relatives, children, neighbours). What do you do to
express your concern? Why?
5. Have you ever given time or money to a charitable organisation? Which one, why, do you
still do? Why not? (possible prompts: to make a difference; because my values/religion oblige
me to; to meet likeminded people; to be part of something bigger than myself; to make me
feel less guilty; to develop as a person)
6. Do any of your friends or family give time or money to charities? Does that influence your
decision to give/not give, and who to give to?
7. What, if anything, would make you give to a charitable organisation?
8. If you have children, would you like them to give to a charity (/when they are older)?
Why/why not?
9. Do you think the way that Governments deal with these issues has an impact on the way
you think about them?
10. What about the media?
I would like you to get into pairs and ask each other the following questions. You have about
10 mins – at the end you will tell us what your partner has said. Please do take notes if it
helps.
1. Tell us about a time when you first became aware of moral issues beyond your family (e.g.
cruelty to animals, homelessness, world poverty etc.) Tell us what happened (e.g. how it
happened, how you felt, what you did)
2. Do you remember the first time you responded to a humanitarian/charity appeal or any
other request for help to others who were suffering? Can you tell us about it?
3. Where or from whom did you learn to do this/ who inspired you/ set the example for you?
(parents, teachers, friend, relatives, spiritual leader, historical figure, historical event?)
Page 43 of 44
DRAFT ONLY: DO NOT COPY v2 May 15 2014
4. Have you always thought/felt/behaved the way you do now, or can you identify something
that made you change in respect to these issues?
Again in pairs:
5. Do you remember any time in your life when you helped a stranger in need? It could be
when you were a child or at any time in your life. What happened? What made you do it?
6. Can you think of an instance when you have been helped by a stranger?
7. Can you think of a time in which you were vulnerable and required assistance in order to
function independently? (eg. childhood, a time when you were sick or disabled, lacking in
skills or education, poor or marginalised). What happened? Did anybody help?
Page 44 of 44