The Magic of Altruism: The Effect of Self-Interest/Altruistic Behaviour on Risk Decision-Making in College Students with High Social Anxiety

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2025.04.017

Abstract

Abstract:

To examine whether altruistic versus self-interest contexts differentially influence risk decision-making in individuals with high social anxiety (HSA), the present study recruited 90 college students. Using an adapted Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), a speech task, and emotional video stimuli, the study compared state anxiety levels and risk-related decision-making behaviors between HSA and low social anxiety (LSA) groups under self-interest and altruistic conditions. Results showed that individuals with HSA exhibited higher state anxiety than those with LSA. Compared to the LSA group, HSA individuals displayed risk-avoidance behavior in self-interest contexts but reduced such avoidance in altruistic contexts. These findings suggest that altruistic behavior can reduce risk avoidance in socially anxious individuals, though such effect is not mediated by a reduction in state anxiety. The underlying mechanisms require further investigation.

Key words: college students, social anxiety, prosocial behaviour, risk decision-making

摘要：

为探讨利己/利他不同情景是否会影响高社交焦虑个体的风险决策行为，本研究招募了90名大学生，通过使用改编的气球模拟决策范式、演讲任务和视频唤起情绪，考察不同社交焦虑水平(高、低)的大学生在不同情景(利己、利他)下，面对风险决策时的状态焦虑水平和做出的决策行为。结果发现，高社交焦虑个体的状态焦虑水平高于低社交焦虑个体。相较于对照组，高社交焦虑个体在利己情景下表现出风险回避，但在利他情景下减少了风险回避行为。研究结果验证了利他行为可以减少社交焦虑个体的风险回避行为，但并非通过降低状态焦虑水平。

关键词: 大学生, 社交焦虑, 亲社会行为, 风险决策

Yixu PANG, Zixuan PENG, Jia LI, Yixuan SONG, Meng YU. The Magic of Altruism: The Effect of Self-Interest/Altruistic Behaviour on Risk Decision-Making in College Students with High Social Anxiety[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2025, 23(4): 560-568.

庞溢序, 彭梓轩, 李佳, 宋怡萱, 余萌. 利他的魔力：高社交焦虑大学生利己/利他行为对风险决策的影响[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2025, 23(4): 560-568.

Figures/Tables 5

References 0

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	M±SD	量表	t	df	p
社交焦虑水平	高: 30.64±9.21 低: 27.36±8.80	BDI-Ⅱ	1.68	87	0.097
	高: 22.74±4.73 低: 23.97±4.13	9-SRA	1.27	88	0.207
	高: 23.56±4.74 低: 24.44±4.17	BSSS	0.94	88	0.364
	高: 43.80±6.17 低: 43.44±5.08	S-UPPS-P	0.28	88	0.777
	高: 47.85±9.86 低: 35.03±7.47	SPIN	6.63	88	<0.001
情景	己: 29.20±8.52 他: 29.44±4.66	BDI-Ⅱ	0.11	87	0.911
	己: 22.58±4.66 他: 23.88±4.32	9-SRA	1.38	88	0.170
	己: 22.47±4.06 他: 23.56±4.92	BSSS	1.17	88	0.246
	己: 44.33±4.76 他: 42.98±6.54	S-UPPS-P	1.12	88	0.264
	己: 42.13±10.84 他: 43.81±11.14	SPIN	0.51	88	0.613

	M±SD	量表	t	df	p
社交焦虑水平	高: 30.64±9.21 低: 27.36±8.80	BDI-Ⅱ	1.68	87	0.097
	高: 22.74±4.73 低: 23.97±4.13	9-SRA	1.27	88	0.207
	高: 23.56±4.74 低: 24.44±4.17	BSSS	0.94	88	0.364
	高: 43.80±6.17 低: 43.44±5.08	S-UPPS-P	0.28	88	0.777
	高: 47.85±9.86 低: 35.03±7.47	SPIN	6.63	88	<0.001
情景	己: 29.20±8.52 他: 29.44±4.66	BDI-Ⅱ	0.11	87	0.911
	己: 22.58±4.66 他: 23.88±4.32	9-SRA	1.38	88	0.170
	己: 22.47±4.06 他: 23.56±4.92	BSSS	1.17	88	0.246
	己: 44.33±4.76 他: 42.98±6.54	S-UPPS-P	1.12	88	0.264
	己: 42.13±10.84 他: 43.81±11.14	SPIN	0.51	88	0.613

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