The latest report from The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University highlights the different factors that motivate women to give — and the ways in which their style and approach to giving is different.

One of the report’s key findings, for example, confirms that:

(Baby Boomer Generation) and older women are more likely to give to charity and give more than their male counterparts …

… and the study finds that they give much, much more — 89% more! A lot of readers are probably nodding their heads — of course women are more generous, you might say to yourself — but this result is actually counterintuitive:

“Women, in general, earn less and have less money in retirement than men, and they have a greater life expectancy,” said Debra J. Mesch, Ph.D., director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. “Although some may have concerns about their financial security, our study suggests that Boomer and older women share their resources with others more generously than their male peers.”

Why do you think that is?