求助不簡單：自尊與情境對求助意願之影響

It’s Not Easy to Ask for Help: The Effects of Self-Esteem and Help-Seeking Contexts on an Individual’s Willingness to Seek Help

研究目的：過去探討自尊與主動求助行為的文獻多採用「自我威脅」的框架，相對忽略了高、低自尊個體若是在會造成他人負擔的情境中，求助意願是否會有不同的差異。近年有研究發現自尊與一個人是否認為自己值得遭遇到好事或好的對待有關，因此本研究假設當個體在求助情境中考慮到對他人的負擔時，高自尊者會因相信自己更值得接受他人幫助，而較低自尊者有更高的求助意願。研究方法：本研究採用實驗室實驗法，80名參與者被隨機分派至2（自尊操弄：高vs.低）Í2（求助情境：威脅情境vs.負擔情境）受試者間設計。透過操弄個體的自尊以及面臨的求助情境，觀察求助意願的反應以及應得信念的中介效果。研究結果：研究結果大致符合本研究的預期，自尊在威脅情境中對求助意願沒有影響，但在負擔情境中高自尊者則展現出較高的求助意願。而調節中介模型的分析結果顯示自尊則透過應得信念的中介對求助意願產生影響，且此效果僅出現在負擔情境中，研究結論：顯示出自尊對求助意願的影響會因情境而有所改變。

Previous research proposed that asking for help might be seen as a lack of ability by individuals with high self-esteem, and that they are thus less likely to seek help as compared to those with low self-esteem. Other studies have suggested that the feeling of taxing others’ resources may also prevent people from seeking help. Recent research indicated that self-esteem is related to deservingness beliefs (one’s beliefs about whether one deserves good/bad outcomes). Purpose: The purpose of this study is to bring these research strands together to examine whether a person’s self-esteem in different contexts influences that person’s willingness to seek help. Method: A total of 80 participants were randomly assigned to 2 (self-esteem: high vs. low) × 2 (help-seeking context: threatening vs. burden) experimental conditions. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to probe the interaction between two independent variables and the mediation effect of deservingness beliefs. Result: The results indicated that only in the burden context were participants with higher self-esteem significantly more willing to seek help from others. Deservingness beliefs mediated the relationship. Conclusion: While previous research has shown that people with high self-esteem are reluctant to seek help, this study shows that people with high self-esteem are more willing to ask for help when the context highlights personal deservingness. Research limitations and future implications are discussed.