When it comes to a good cause, people want to feel like they’re spending money on something worthwhile – not simply giving it away. It may sound like semantics, but researchers from The Ohio State University report it all comes down to control. Study authors say people feel like they have more control over their charitable donations when someone tells them they’re actively spending their money on a good cause, as opposed to “giving” their money away. “The word ‘give’ can have a more negative connotation than ‘spend’ to donors. ‘Give’ highlights how you’re being separated from your money, which is not appealing,” says study co-author Selin Malkoc, associate professor of marketing at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, in a university release.