Distinct impacts of perceived resource scarcity on donation: The moderating roles of gratitude, authentic and hubristic pride

Focusing on a resource scarcity situation, this research examines the interplay between resource scarcity and a positive emotion (i.e., gratitude, authentic or hubristic pride) on individuals' donation. Correlational (Study 1) and experimental methods (Studies 2–4) are adopted. In Study 1, higher gratitude correlates with higher affiliation motivation and higher hubristic pride correlates with higher status motivation. Individuals with higher authentic pride seem to have higher affiliation and status motivation. When hubristic pride is elicited (Study 2), affiliation motivation decreases in the resource scarcity condition (vs. non‐scarcity), leading to a reduction in donation intention. Grateful and authentic proud participants (Study 3), compared to participants in a neutral emotion condition, are more likely to donate when perceiving resource scarcity (vs. non‐scarcity). The increase in likelihood to donate is mediated by higher affiliation motivation, but not status motivation. Study 4 indicates the grateful participants maintain, whereas hubristic proud counterparts decrease in donation amount when perceiving resource scarcity (vs. non‐scarcity). These findings offer innovative angles involving positive emotions to promote cause‐related donation in a shrinking economic environment.