NEW YORK: US consumers are doing less to support societal causes because of the unsteady economy, according to Edelman's 2012 "goodpurpose" study. However, consumers in other parts of the world are giving more generously.  

The study found that 82% of US consumers were affected by the economic downturn, and the percentage involved with a cause dropped from 60% to 53% from 2010 to this year, the only decline among the 16 countries surveyed.

In contrast, personal involvement in causes in ...