Effective Altruism and the Human Mind:
The Clash Between Impact and Intuition

Stefan Schubert and Lucius Caviola
Published by Oxford University Press

Now available here.

Each year, people donate billions to charities that are but a fraction as impactful as the most effective charities. Why is that? Why are people not helping others more effectively, as proposed by effective altruism?

This book seeks to give a psychological explanation, drawing on decades of empirical research. It investigates the role of preferences, norms, and beliefs and shows how intuition can limit impact. The second part of the book shows how we can overcome these obstacles through information campaigns, incentivization techniques, and fundamental value change. It ends with a discussion of how we can use psychology to apply effective altruism in everyday life.

Find more information about the book and get it here.

This is an open access title, meaning that it is free to download from OUP.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Part 1: Obstacles

Chapter 1: The Norms of Giving
Chapter 2: Neglecting the Stakes
Chapter 3: Distant Causes and Nearsighted Feelings
Chapter 4: Tough Prioritizing
Chapter 5: Misconceptions about Effectiveness

Part 2: Interventions

Chapter 6: Information, Nudges, and Incentives
Chapter 7: Finding the Enthusiasts
Chapter 8: Fundamental Value Change
Chapter 9: Effective Altruism for Mortals

"Effective Altruism and the Human Mind is a pioneering study of the psychology of giving and the barriers to giving more effectively. If this important book is widely read and its lessons heeded, it will do an immense amount of good."

Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University
and author of The Life You Can Save

"Schubert and Caviola delve deep into the interplay between the rationality of effective altruism and the psychological forces that guide ethical decision making. With keen insight and a wealth of research about ineffective giving, this book highlights the tensions between reason and compassion that can undermine the objectives of effective altruism. But it doesn't stop at mere analysis. It then offers a host of practical strategies for nudging people to channel their generosity toward greater impact."

Deborah Small, Professor of Marketing, Yale School of Management

"Ordinary people can do superhero levels of good-saving lives, preventing mass suffering, and reducing the odds of global catastrophe—not just in theory, but in cold, hard fact. And yet we neglect our moral superpowers. This book explains why. Drawing on fascinating science and worldwise wisdom, Schubert and Caviola define the psychological obstacles to human flourishing and offer strategies for removing them. Read this brilliant book and pass it on."

Joshua Greene, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University and author of
Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them