The Effect of Color Versus Black‐and‐White Images on Charitable Behavior

ABSTRACT Color is among the key variables that affect charitable behavior. Departing from the common focus on color hues, we examine how color saturation (i.e., color vs. black‐and‐white images) plays a role. In terms of charitable behavior, four studies demonstrate that compared with black‐and‐white images, color images reduce the perceived social distance between viewers and charity recipients, thereby increasing donations. The effect is moderated by: (1) the viewers' familiarity with the social cause appealed to and (2) whether the images are presented before or after the textual messages. These findings contribute to the research on the application of visual elements in persuasion and inform the strategic use of color in social campaigns.