"keeping up with the Joneses" effect

The phenomenon of group competition can be understood through the concept of social comparison theory. According to this theory, people have a natural tendency to compare themselves with others to evaluate their own abilities, opinions, and attitudes. In this case, the announcement of the list of donors creates a social comparison situation, where members of the group compare their own contributions with those of others. This can lead to a "keeping up with the Joneses" effect, where people donate money not out of genuine sympathy but because they feel the pressure to match or exceed the contributions of others. Another psychological concept that may be relevant is social identity theory, which suggests that people derive a sense of self from their membership in various social groups. In this case, the group of friends and the competition among them can create a sense of identity and a desire to conform to group norms and expectations. By donating money, individuals may feel that they are demonstrating their loyalty to the group and fulfilling their social obligation. In summary, the behavior you described can be explained by a combination of social comparison and social identity theories, which suggest that people are motivated to donate money in response to the pressure created by the announcement of the list of donors and the desire to conform to group norms and expectations.