Disgust predicts charitable giving: The role of empathy

Eugene Y. Chan and Felix Septianto

Journal of Business Research, 2022, vol. 142, issue C, 946-956

Abstract: This research investigates the influence of disgust, as an emotion, on charitable giving. We propose that feeling disgusted decreases consumers’ engagement in charitable behavior (e.g., giving money and time) because it lowers empathy—and empathy is an important determinant in charity-giving decisions. Across three experimental studies in which we manipulate incidental or integral disgust, we illustrate a negative effect of feeling disgusted on charitable giving, with empathy playing an explanatory role. The effect of disgust mainly arises when disgust is paired with an other-focused (not self-focused) ad appeal. The findings shine light on the links between disgust, empathy, and charity. They offer implications for non-profit organizations that depend on the goodwill of donors while at the same time their very cause or even promotional materials may elicit disgust.

Keywords: Disgust; Charitable giving; Empathy; Emotion; Dehumanization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296322000455
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:142:y:2022:i:c:p:946-956

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.033

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Business Research is currently edited by A. G. Woodside

More articles in Journal of Business Research from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().