自我超越的情緒與超越自我的表現：敬畏情緒的正向影響效果

The Self-transcendent Emotion and the Transcending One's Self Performance: A Study of Positive Effect of the Emotion of Awe

敬畏情緒為自我超越之情緒，是正向心理學新興議題，能促進個體心理健康，並協助人類度過如Covid-19疫情等艱困時刻。本研究認為敬畏情緒能引發正向情緒與行為，區分兩項子研究探討其影響效果。研究一採前實驗研究設計單組後測設計以及調查法進行，邀請720名大專院校學生參與網路調查，並使用結構方程式模型建構敬畏情緒影響模型。研究一整體模型適配，研究結果認為敬畏情緒引發個體感恩情緒，促進利社會行為，最終產生幸福感受，且敬畏情緒需透過感恩與利社會行為才能促進幸福感，經敬畏情緒所引發的感恩，也須透過利社會行為方可激發幸福感，上述結果顯示利社會行為是敬畏情緒促進幸福感的關鍵中介角色。研究二接續上述成果，採實驗法分析不同情緒（敬畏情緒、正向情緒和負向情緒）對利社會具體表現因果影響，將90位參與者區分三個組別，分別觀賞誘發不同情緒影片後，填答心理評量問題並接受利社會行為具體表現測量（捐款與否）。研究二結果認為，自然環境影片可誘發正向敬畏情緒，自然環境威脅影片則誘發負向情緒與敬畏情緒，而幽默影片則引發正向情緒。雖然敬畏情緒皆可引發感恩與利社會行為傾向，但只有正向敬畏情緒才會將利社會行為付諸具體行動，表達捐贈更多金額之意願。本研究根據上述研究結果，提出教育與輔導應用的具體建議，以供未來研究與實務工作參考運用。

 

In positive psychology, we are self-transcendent emotions that promote individual mental health. Theory and research have supported the idea that awe can help humanity through difficult times during the Covid-19 pandemic. Awe arises when individuals encounter perceptually vast stimuli that overwhelm their existing knowledge and mental structures. In our country, awe has been composed of five latent factors, including ""curiosity and exploration,"" ""a feeling of wonderment regarding nature,"" ""appreciation of artwork,"" ""a feeling of smallness,"" and ""social connection."" However, little attention has been paid to its effects. Recent studies have suggested that awe emotions can strengthen positive emotions and behaviors. We continued to study the impact and causal processes underlying the emotion of awe to expand its application and understanding of positive human behaviors and to promote the development of a harmonious and peaceful society. The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between awe, gratitude, prosocial behavior, and well-being across two studies. In Study 1, we examined the mediating roles of gratitude and prosocial behavior in the relationship between awe and subjective well-being. A total of 720 college students completed online questionnaires to determine the constructs of the awe model. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The model was found to be the best fit based on the overall model verification. The results of Study 1 demonstrated that awe was significantly associated with gratitude, prosocial behavior, and subjective well-being. Individuals with higher awe exhibited more positive emotions and positive tendencies. Furthermore, prosocial behavior completely mediated the relationship between awe, gratitude, and subjective well-being. Thus, prosocial behavior plays a key role in promoting well-being. In Study 1, we tested the causal role of different emotions (awe, positive emotions, and negative emotions) on prosocial behavior using an experimental method. We used video clips (nature, threats to nature, and silent comedy) to evoke the three emotions. After inducing emotions, we examined participants’ emotional states using an opening question and emotional self-report scales, including the General Awe Scale, Gratitude Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scales, and Prosocial Scale, and asked them about their willingness to donate money to present their prosocial behavior. First, we performed a sentiment analysis of participants’ comments on videos using word cloud analytics. Second, data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, ANOVA, and PROCESS model analysis. The results of Study 2 showed that natural videos could evoke awe, threats to nature videos could evoke both negative and awe emotions, and silent comedy videos could evoke general positive emotions. Participants in both the positive and negative awe conditions had higher feelings of gratitude and prosocial tendencies. The results showed that positive awe, which was induced experimentally rather than through negative awe, and generally positive emotions caused people to donate more money. In summary, these findings suggest that awe generally makes people more prosocial, but only positive awe produces behaviors that are more prosocial. Positive awe may help to situate individuals in broader social contexts and enhance their collective concerns. Finally, the conclusion offers some suggestions. Future studies should focus on other criterion variables, such as learning satisfaction, curiosity, and learning outcomes, as these areas are also associated with a greater sense of awe. Future researchers could also compare differences in social behavior, such as volunteering to help other people, increasing the willingness to volunteer time, engaging in green consumption, and volunteering to solve environmental problems. Awe can also be combined with virtual reality technology, as it has been proposed that the use of VR could be an effective way to induce awe in controlled experimental settings.