Can empathy override contagion in decision making?

Witnessing suffering can trigger discomfort in people, eliciting responses that range from selfishness to altruism. Although empathy generally motivates prosocial behavior, it may also trigger egoistic responses due to its cognitively taxing nature. This study examined whether empathy towards a target in need can counteract contagion-an irrational dislike of targets associated with negative situations. Across three experiments, we assessed participants' willingness to empathize with dog targets in hypothetical adoption scenarios, explored the impact of mood on empathy and prosocial behavior, and compared the effects of empathy on liking and pity decisions within the contagion paradigm. Results revealed a strong preference for empathy, which fostered prosocial behavior despite the presence of contagion. Positive mood enhanced empathetic responses but did not increase prosocial behavior. Finally, empathy influenced liking but not pity decisions. These findings indicate that empathy toward animals is rewarding and can motivate prosocial actions, overcoming distress-induced avoidant tendencies.