When asked to volunteer their time to charity, Americans are likely to give more money.

Participants in an online survey read a statement about lung cancer and a cancer research foundation's mission. The participants who were asked to donate time eventually pledged more than those who weren't asked: $36.44 versus $24.46.

In the second test, the same researchers introduced undergraduate college students to HopeLab, a nonprofit organization that serves children with chronic illnesses. The average donation level was nearly five times higher for participants who were first asked about donating their time to the organization. Read more