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Cuteness mediates the effect of happy facial expressions on empathy and charitable donations

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Abstract

Prior research has separately examined the influences of facial expressions (e.g., happy versus sad facial expressions) and facial appearance (e.g., cuteness and attractiveness) on empathy and donations. It has not been clear whether and how happiness and cuteness interact in influencing empathy and donations. Through four experiments where photographs of needy children with happy and sad facial expressions are used, the current research demonstrates that cuteness mediates the impact of happiness on empathy and donations. Specifically, happy expressions lead to greater perceived cuteness and in turn the greater cuteness leads to greater empathy and charitable donations. In other words, the current research shows the serial mediation of cuteness and empathy in the relationship between happiness and donations.

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Notes

  1. Written permission was obtained to use the photographs in Baberini et al. (2015).

  2. The license for using the thirty photographs was purchased at Shutter Stock (www.shutterstock.com).

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  1. Governors State University, G-293, 1 University Pkwy, University Park, IL, 60484, USA

    Hyunkyu Jang

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  1. Hyunkyu Jang
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Jang, H. Cuteness mediates the effect of happy facial expressions on empathy and charitable donations. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 19, 675–689 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-021-00322-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-021-00322-2

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