How we spend in hard times

According to Wagner A. Kamakura of Duke University and Rex Yuxing Du of the University of Houston, who studied purchases by more than 66,000 U.S. households over two decades:

In a recession that shrinks GDP by 2%, consumers increase their charitable expenses by 32%—about the same proportion by which they reduce their expenditures on jewelry and watches (35%). Consumers also increase their tobacco expenditures by 16%. People are more likely to start smoking (and resume smoking after quitting) in recessions than in good times, the researchers say.

Sounds good to me, except the charitable giving part.