Based upon the assumption that emotional responses lead to behaviors, authors have focused on the antecedents of emotions and very limited research has been conducted to identify the conditions under which emotions lead to generosity (Chédotal et al., 2017). Manipulating the emotional valence and the proximity between donors and beneficiaries, we show that whereas guilt leads to more generosity, positive emotions have the opposite effects. We also detail the moderating role of empathic tendencies and proximity. As a cover story for our experiments, people had to answer questions about their TV habits. Participants were financially rewarded and given the opportunity to keep or to donate the endowment to a fictitious charity. To manipulate the emotional valence, participants were given time to describe an event in which they had done something negative or positive to someone important to them (Xu et al., 2014). To manipulate the perceived proximity with the victims, participants could give to a charity operating in a geographically close area or in a remote area. Study 1 (n = 127;Mage = 22.69;st.dev = 1.73 ) investigated the impact of guilt feelings and confirmed that their positive impact on generosity is moderated by empathic tendencies an perceived proximity with the victims. Study 2 (n = 134;Mage = 22.83;st.dev = 1.35 ) investigated the impact of positive feelings and confirmed their negative impact on generosity. Finally, Study 3 (n=183;Mage=21.05;st.dev = 1.37 ) generalized results from Study 1 and Study 2 to anticipated feelings. This research helps to better understand the role of emotions that people experience after engaging in good or bad behaviors on charitable giving. Although the positive (negative) impact of negative (positive) feelings on prosocial behaviors have been suggested in prior studies (Sachdeva et al., 2009; Renner et al., 2013), we identify the conditions under which such effects take place.

• Etienne Denis(Louvain School of Management, Belgium)
• Claude Pecheux(EDHEC BS, France)