Effective Altruism and the Human Mind

This book uses recent research and empirical evidence to give quantifiable psychological explanations for why people donate vast amounts of money to charities with limited impact, known as ineffective giving. It unpacks the influence of misconceptions, cognitive biases, preferences for emotionally appealing but ineffective charities, and offers strategies for overcoming the obstacles that contribute to the problem.

Stefan Schubert is a researcher in philosophy and moral psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He did his PhD at Lund University, Sweden, and has subsequently worked at the University of Oxford and LSE. In recent years, his research has focused on effective altruism and longtermism, broadly construed.
Lucius Caviola is a moral psychologist at the University of Oxford and Harvard University. He completed his PhD in experimental psychology at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on moral attitudes and decision-making in pro-social contexts, including charitable giving, moral circle expansion, and societal risk reduction.

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