Understanding Small Donation Willingness among Chinese Gen Z Students

Sammanfattning

In the context of the continuous strengthening of market-oriented values, this studyfocuses on Chinese Generation Z (Gen Z) students to explore the formation logic oftheir small donation willingness and their evolution process of trust related to donations.Drawing on gift theory and trust theory, this study conducted semi-structured interviewswith 16 Chinese Gen Z students. This study reveals that small donations made by thesestudents are driven by interpersonal relationships instead of moral responsibility. Familyeducation, peer influence, and social media all have an impact on these students'donation perceptions. Meanwhile, their trust in donations gradually shifts from intuitivetrust in childhood to a more rational and cautious judgment process, and they begin topay more attention to information authenticity and organisational transparency.Traditional Chinese cultural values also continue to influence Chinese Gen Z students'donation willingness. This study indicates that small donations are not an individual act.It also reflects the relationship networks, cultural values, and social trust structures ofthe Chinese Generation Z students in contemporary Chinese society.