Dispositional Awe Positively Predicts Prosocial Tendencies: Multiple Mediation Effects of Self-Transcendence and Empathy

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2022.03.015

Abstract

Abstract: Awe has an impact on individuals’ spiritual world to achieve self-transcendence and makes them pay more attention to the needs of others. The purpose of the study is to explore the mechanism underlying the link between awe and prosocial tendencies from the perspective of self-transcendence and empathy. We surveyed 1347 college students using Dispositional Awe Scale, Self-Transcendence Questionnaire, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Prosocial Tendencies Measure. The results of path analysis and bootstrap analysis showed that: 1) awe was significantly correlated with self-transcendence, empathy, and prosocial tendencies; 2) awe positively predicted prosocial tendencies via self-transcendence and empathy serially. These results further deepen the understanding of the relationship between awe and prosociality, which suggests that awe might promote individuals’ self-transcendence, and that high self-transcendence might increase empathy for others and consequently prosocial tendencies.

Key words: awe, self-transcendence, empathy, prosocial tendencies, mediation effect

摘要： 敬畏对内能影响个体的精神世界，实现自我超越，对外能使个体更多地关注他人；且自我超越也能促进个体对他人的共情关注。但目前还未有实证研究探讨敬畏是否能通过共情以及自我超越−共情的中介预测亲社会倾向。为检验这一假设，本研究招募了1347名大学生并测量了其敬畏特质、自我超越、共情和亲社会倾向。结果显示：（1）敬畏、自我超越、共情和亲社会倾向各维度两两相关显著；（2）敬畏直接预测亲社会倾向各维度，也能通过自我超越和共情的多重中介间接预测，且自我超越的中介效应最大。本研究从内、外因素进一步深化了对敬畏与亲社会倾向关系的认识，频繁的敬畏体验有助于提升个体的自我超越及对他人的共情关注，促进亲社会倾向。

关键词: 敬畏, 自我超越, 共情, 亲社会倾向, 中介效应

CLC Number:

B849

LUO Li, YANG Dong, CHEN Shengdong, GAO Wei, CHEN Yongqiang, YUAN Jiajin. Dispositional Awe Positively Predicts Prosocial Tendencies: Multiple Mediation Effects of Self-Transcendence and Empathy[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(3): 390-396.

罗利, 杨东, 陈圣栋, 高伟, 陈永强, 袁加锦. 特质敬畏对亲社会倾向的正向预测：自我超越和共情的多重中介作用[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2022, 20(3): 390-396.

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