Abstract
Altruism tendency is the cornerstone of a thriving society. Awe is a self-transcendent emotion with a great social function. The relationship between awe and altruism tendency has drawn considerable attention in the scientific literature. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the association from the perspective of dispositional awe. There is a lack of longitudinal research analyzing the immediate and lagged relationship between awe and altruism tendency using different methods at both trait and state levels, while also investigating their potential mechanism. The present study employed two complementary studies to examine the associations between awe, perceived social support, and altruism tendency at both trait and state levels. First, a longitudinal study was conducted over a 6-month period with 231 Chinese adolescents to explore the associations at the trait level (Study 1). The results revealed that dispositional awe had immediate and lagged effects on altruism tendency. Perceived overall social support, as well as support from different sources, played a mediating role in the delayed relationship between the two main variables. Subsequently, a sample of 117 Chinese adolescents completed the paper questionnaires once a week for seven consecutive weeks to investigate the within-subject relationships at the state level (Study 2). The results indicated that state awe had immediate and lagged effects on altruism tendency. Additionally, perceived support from family and significant others mediated the relationship between the two main variables at the within-subject level. These findings contribute to the social function theory of emotion by establishing a pathway of “emotion (awe) - cognition (perceived social support) - behavior (altruism tendency)” and provided empirical guidance for promoting prosocial behavior in adolescents.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.
References
Bai, Y., Maruskin, L. A., Chen, S., Gordon, A. M., Stellar, J. E., McNeil, G. D., Peng, K., & Keltner, D. (2017). Awe, the diminished self, and collective engagement: Universals and cultural variations in the small self. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(2), 185–209. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000087.
Bi, S., Stevens, G. W. J. M., Maes, M., Boer, M., Delaruelle, K., Eriksson, C., Brooks, F. M., Tesler, R., van der Schuur, W. A., & Finkenauer, C. (2021). Perceived social support from different sources and adolescent life satisfaction across 42 countries/regions: The moderating role of national-level generalized trust. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(7), 1384–1409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01441-z.
Bolger, N., & Laurenceau, J. P. (2013). Intensive longitudinal methods: An introduction to diary and experience sampling research. New York, NY: Guilford press.
Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54(2), 579–616. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145030.
Bronfenbrenner, U., & Morris, P. (2006). The bioecological model of human development. In R. M. Lerner, & W. Damon (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (pp. 793–828). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Cohen, J., Cohen, J., Cohen, J. W., Cohen, J., Cohen, J., Cohen, J., Cohen, J., Cohen, J. W., Cohen, N., & Cohen, C. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral science. Technometrics, 31(4), 499–500. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203771587.
Coyle-Shapfro, J. A. M. (2002). A psychological contract perspective on organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(8), 927–946. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.173.
Dong, R., & Ni, S. G. (2020). Openness to experience, extraversion, and subjective well-being among chinese college students: The mediating role of dispositional awe. Psychological Reports, 123(3), 903–928. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294119826884.
Ejova, A., Krátký, J., Kundtová Klocová, E., Kundt, R., Cigán, J., Kotherová, S., Bulbulia, J., & Gray, R. D. (2021). The awe-prosociality relationship: Evidence for the role of context. Religion Brain and Behavior, 11(3), 294–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/2153599X.2021.1940254.
Fredrickson, B. L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of general psychology, 2(3), 300–319. https://doi.org/10.1037//1089-2680.2.3.300.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218.
Fredrickson, B. L., & Joiner, T. (2018). Reflections on positive emotions and upward spirals. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(2), 194–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617692106.
Frijda, N. H., & Mesquita, B. (1994). The social roles and functions of emotions. In S. Kitayama, & H. Marcus (Eds.), Emotion and culture: Empirical studies of mutual influence (pp. 51–87). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Geldhof, G. J., Preacher, K. J., & Zyphur, M. J. (2014). Reliability estimation in a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis framework. Psychological Methods, 19(1), 72–91. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032138.
Guan, F., Xiang, Y., Chen, O., Wang, W., & Chen, J. (2018). Neural basis of dispositional awe. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 12, 209. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00209.
Guan, F., Chen, J., Chen, O., Liu, L., & Zha, Y. (2019). Awe and prosocial tendency. Current Psychology, 38(4), 1033–1041. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00244-7.
Gunthert, K. C., & Wenze, S. J. (2012). Daily diary methods. In M. R. Mehl, & T. S. Conner (Eds.), Handbook of research methods for studying daily life (pp. 144–159). The Guilford Press.
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118.
Hu, Z., & Xiang, Y. (2022). Who is the chief culprit, loneliness, or smartphone addiction? Evidence from longitudinal study and weekly diary method. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-022-00892-0.
Hu, H., You, Y., Ling, Y., Yuan, H., & Huebner, E. S. (2021). The development of prosocial behavior among adolescents: A positive psychology perspective. Current Psychology, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02255-9.
Jiao, L., & Luo, L. (2022). Dispositional awe positively predicts prosocial tendencies: The multiple mediation effects of connectedness and empathy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16605. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416605.
Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition & Emotion, 17(2), 297–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297.
Keltner, D., Sauter, D., Tracy, J. L., Wetchler, E., & Cowen, A. S. (2022). How emotions, relationships, and culture constitute each other: Advances in social functionalist theory. Cognition and Emotion, 36(3), 388–401. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2022.2047009.
Kenny, D. A. (2012). Measuring Model Fit. Davidakenny.Net, 1985, 1–10. http://davidakenny.net/cm/fit.htm.
Kong, F., & Tan, Q. (2023). The relationships between happiness motives and problematic smartphone use in young adults: A weekly diary study. Computers in Human Behavior, 139, 107557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107557.
Lakey, B., & Cassady, P. B. (1990). Cognitive processes in perceived social support. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(2), 337–343. https://doi.org/10.1037/00223514.59.2.337.
Lei, X., & Chen, Y. (2022). The promotion of awe to individual balance and development - the influence of awe on quiet ego under big data. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 627–632. https://doi.org/10.1145/3556089.3556180.
Lin, R. M., Chen, Y. P., Shen, Y. L., Xiong, X. X., Lin, N., & Lian, R. (2021). Dispositional awe and online altruism: Testing a moderated mediating model. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.688591.
Lischetzke, T. (2014). Daily diary methodology. In A. C. Michalos (Ed.), Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research (pp. 1413–1419). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Luo, L., Zou, R., Yang, D., & Yuan, J. (2022). Awe experience trigged by fighting against COVID-19 promotes prosociality through increased feeling of connectedness and empathy. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2131607.
Ma, L., & Xiang, Y. (2023). Mindfulness and subjective well-being among chinese adolescents: A longitudinal study and a weekly diary investigation. Journal of happiness studies, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00662-2.
Malecki, C. K., & Demaray, M. K. (2003). What type of support do they need? Investigating student adjustment as related to emotional, informational, appraisal, and instrumental support. School Psychology Quarterly, 18(3), 231–252. https://doi.org/10.1521/scpq.18.3.231.22576.
Meng, L., & Wang, X. (2023). Awe in the workplace promotes prosocial behavior. PsyCh Journal, 12(1), 44–53. https://doi.org/10.1002/pchj.593.
Monroy, M., & Keltner, D. (2022). Awe as a pathway to mental and physical health. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(2), 17456916221094856. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916221094856.
Ohly, S., Sonnentag, S., Niessen, C., & Zapf, D. (2010). Diary studies in organizational research: An introduction and some practical recommendations. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 9(2), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000009.
Perlin, J. D., & Li, L. (2020). Why does awe have prosocial effects? New perspectives on awe and the small self. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(2), 291–308. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691619886006.
Pfattheicher, S., Nielsen, Y. A., & Thielmann, I. (2022). Prosocial behavior and altruism: A review of concepts and definitions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 124–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.021.
Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000018.
Plenty, S., Östberg, V., & Modin, B. (2015). The role of psychosocial school conditions in adolescent prosocial behaviour. School Psychology International, 36(3), 283–300. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034315573350.
Prade, C., & Saroglou, V. (2016). Awe’s effects on generosity and helping. Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 522–530. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1127992.
Richesin, M. T., & Baldwin, D. R. (2022). How awe shaped us: An evolutionary perspective. Emotion Review, 15(1), 17–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/17540739221136893.
Rosenberg, E. L. (1998). Levels of analysis and the organization of affect. Review of General Psychology, 2, 247–270. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.247.
Rueger, S. Y., Malecki, C. K., Pyun, Y., Aycock, C., & Coyle, S. (2016). A meta-analytic review of the association between perceived social support and depression in childhood and adolescence. Psychological Bulletin, 142(10), 1017–1067. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000058.
Shiota, M. N., Keltner, D., & John, O. P. (2006). Positive emotion dispositions differentially associated with big five personality and attachment style. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(2), 61–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760500510833.
Shiota, M. N., Keltner, D., & Mossman, A. (2007). The nature of awe: Elicitors, appraisals, and effects on self-concept. Cognition and Emotion, 21(5), 944–963. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930600923668.
Siu, O. L., Lo, B. C. Y., Ng, T. K., & Wang, H. (2021). Social support and student outcomes: The mediating roles of psychological capital, study engagement, and problem-focused coping. Current Psychology, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01621-x.
Stellar, J. E., Gordon, A. M., Piff, P. K., Cordaro, D., Anderson, C. L., Bai, Y., & Keltner, D. (2017). Self-transcendent emotions and their social functions: Compassion, gratitude, and awe bind us to others through prosociality. Emotion Review, 9(3), 200–207. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073916684557.
Swickert, R. (2009). Personality and social support. In P. Corr, & G. Matthews (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of personality (pp. 524–540). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
van Harmelen, A. L., Gibson, J. L., Clair, S., Owens, M. C., Brodbeck, M., Dunn, J., & Goodyer, V., I. M (2016). Friendships and family support reduce subsequent depressive symptoms in at-risk adolescents. PloS one, 11(5), e0153715. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153715.
Villar, S., Carrera, P., & Oceja, L. (2022). From aesthetics to ethics: Testing the link between an emotional experience of awe and the motive of quixoteism on (un)ethical behavior. Motivation and Emotion, 46(4), 508–520. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-022-09935-4.
Way, N., & Greene, M. L. (2006). Trajectories of perceived friendship quality during adolescence: The patterns and contextual predictors. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 16(2), 293–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2006.00133.x.
Wentzel, K. R., Filisetti, L., & Looney, L. (2007). Adolescent prosocial behavior: The role of self-processes and contextual cues. Child Development, 78(3), 895–910. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01039.x.
Wray-Lake, L. (2010). The development of social responsibility in adolescence: Dynamic socialization, values, and actions. (Unpublished doctoral dissertations). The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Xiang, Y., Chao, X., & Ye, Y. (2018). Effect of gratitude on benign and malicious envy: The mediating role of social support. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 139. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00139.
Xiang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2023). Bidirectional relations between altruistic tendency and benign/malicious envy among adolescents: A longitudinal study and weekly diary study. Development and Psychopathology, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579423000044.
You, S., Lee, J., & Lee, Y. (2022). Relationships between gratitude, social support, and prosocial and problem behaviors. Current Psychology, 41(5), 2646–2653. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00775-4.
Zhao, H., & Zhang, H. (2022). Why dispositional awe promotes psychosocial flourishing? An investigation of intrapersonal and interpersonal pathways among chinese emerging adults. Current Psychology, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02593-8.
Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2.
Acknowledgements
We thank Ji Shan for improving the language of this article.
Funding
The study was granted by Philosophy and Social Science Project of Hunan Province (18YBA324). The funding source had no influence on the study design, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
LM: Study designing, paper writing, data analysis, paper revising. XL: Paper revising. YX: Elaborating the study design, paper revising, supervision.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
The present study was approved by the Academic Committee of the School of Psychology of Hunan Normal University. All participants provided informed consents before completing the questionnaires, and were paid after completing the whole questionnaires.
Submission declaration
This work described has not been published previously.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, L., Li, X. & Xiang, Y. Perceived social support mediated the relationship between Awe and Altruism Tendency in Chinese Adolescents: evidence from a longitudinal study and weekly dairy study. Curr Psychol 43, 7324–7338 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04909-2
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04909-2