心理学报2025，Vol.57Issue(12)：2220-2241,22.DOI:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.2220
敬畏影响不同社会经济地位者亲社会性的心理机制
The influence of awe on prosociality:Psychological mechanisms across higher and lower SES individuals
摘要
Abstract
Awe is widely recognized as a prosocial emotion that can foster a concern for others' welfare.Theoretical and empirical research suggests that awe enhances prosociality by diminishing the focus on the individual self(a"small self")and encouraging the pursuit of a more"authentic self',which is in alignment with one's core values.However,the relationship between these two mechanisms-the small self and the authentic self-requires further examination,particularly due to their contrasting nature.Furthermore,existing research presents mixed findings on how awe's impact varies across different socioeconomic status(SES)groups.There is also a lack of studies exploring whether SES influences how individuals experience different types of awe.To address these gaps,this research,encompassing five studies with a total of 1,114 participants,investigates the parallel indirect effects of awe on prosociality through the mechanisms of the small self and the pursuit of the authentic self.It also examines the moderating role of SES on these two mediating pathways.Additionally,the studies explore how SES affects the frequency and consequences of various types of awe experiences. Study 1 utilized a large-scale survey to investigate the fundamental relationship between awe and prosociality,testing the mediating roles of the small self and the pursuit of the authentic self.Study 2a,a 14-day diary study,examined how SES moderates the influence of daily awe experiences on the small self and the pursuit of the authentic self.Study 2b experimentally manipulated SES and awe to test the moderating effect of SES on the two mediating mechanisms and to assess SES-based differences in the frequency of aesthetic versus ability-based awe experiences.Studies 3a and 3b manipulated SES and specific types of awe(aesthetic,ability-based,or a general positive emotion)to further test the moderating role of SES on the mediating effects of different awe types on prosociality. The findings reveal that awe has a significant positive indirect effect on prosociality through the parallel mechanisms of the small self and the pursuit of the authentic self(Study 1).SES was found to moderate the positive effects of awe on both mechanisms(Studies 2a and 2b).Specifically,the experience of a"small self"was more pronounced among lower-SES individuals,while the pursuit of an"authentic self"was more significant for higher-SES individuals,with both pathways leading to increased prosociality.Lower-SES individuals reported more frequent experiences of awe related to ability and threat,whereas higher-SES individuals reported more frequent aesthetic awe(Study 2a).Finally,SES also moderated the effects of different types of awe on the two psychological mechanisms(Studies 3a and 3b).For lower-SES individuals,ability-based awe had a more significant effect on the small self,although this did not translate to a significant impact on prosocial variables.In contrast,for higher-SES individuals,aesthetic awe more strongly promoted the pursuit of an authentic self,which in turn positively influenced their prosociality. These studies clarify the dual mechanisms through which awe influences prosociality and situate their relationship within a comprehensive self-framework.The research also provides a deeper understanding of the mixed findings regarding SES's moderation of awe's effect on prosociality,suggesting that these inconsistencies may be linked to the psychological mechanisms that are most prominent under different social conditions.The findings highlight the unique roles of ability-based and aesthetic awe in triggering distinct psychological responses in lower and higher-SES individuals,respectively.Therefore,inducing specific types of awe experiences tailored to different SES groups could be a potential intervention for promoting prosocial behavior.These results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of awe's important role as a positive emotion in fostering prosociality.关键词
敬畏/社会经济地位/小我/真我/亲社会性Key words
awe/socioeconomic status(SES)/small self/authentic-self pursuit/prosociality分类
社会科学引用本文复制引用
胡小勇,赵越,冀月欣,马佳馨..敬畏影响不同社会经济地位者亲社会性的心理机制[J].心理学报,2025,57(12):2220-2241,22.基金项目
国家社会科学基金西部项目(23XSH003)资助. （23XSH003）
