When Scarcity Backfires: Identity–Message Fit and Donation Resilience Under Repeated Appeals

ABSTRACT Scarcity‐framed donation appeals are common, but their ability to sustain donor engagement over time remains unclear. In this research, we investigate when and for whom scarcity framing helps preserve donation resilience, defined as resistance to decline in charitable support across repeated exposures. Across three studies, we show that scarcity framing slows the decline in charitable responses among individuals whose frugal identity is strong, but only when the appeal can be interpreted as supporting efficient and meaningful use of resources. Study 1 demonstrates that scarcity appeals increase donation resilience among frugal individuals but not among nonfrugal individuals. Study 2 identifies an important boundary condition by showing that this effect emerges for relatively resource‐stable causes but disappears for causes characterized by chronic resource scarcity. Study 3 replicates the identity–message fit effect using actual donation behavior. Together, these results demonstrate that scarcity is not inherently motivating or discouraging; its effects depend on the fit between identity and contextual meaning.