Inside the Mind of the Bequest Donor

Book excerpt: Combining new fMRI neuroimaging results from his lab at Texas Tech University with experimental psychology, psychological theory, and survey research, Dr. Russell James leads the reader inside the conscious and subconscious processes engaged by bequest decision-making. Although many fundraisers think that legacy giving is just like any other form of fundraising, these new studies using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) show just how differently the brain reacts to legacy decisions. This lively presentation by the author of the world's first published peer-reviewed research examining charitable bequest decision-making using fMRI is no dry academic textbook. Including more than 300 visual slides taken from his public lecture presentations, the book presents intensely practical suggestions for dramatically increasing success in planned giving, legacy fundraising, and estate planning. Chapters: 1 Preface 2 Introduction 3 Why Bequest Giving is Different 4 Terror Management Theory Stage 1: Avoidance 5 Terror Management Theory Stage 2: Autobiographical Heroism & Symbolic Immortality 6 Understanding Neuroimaging Research in Charitable Giving 7 Results of Neuroimaging Experiments in Charitable Bequest Decision-Making 8 Testing Messages to Encourage Charitable Bequests 9 Practical Applications Part I: Managing Avoidance 10 Practical Applications Part II: Building Autobiographical Relevance & Symbolic Immortality 11 Using The Model to Understand Your Two Biggest Competitors