Not All Awe Is Equal: Divergent and Unstable Effects of Positive and Negative Awe on Aggressive Behavior
Abstract
Emotions play an important role in shaping aggressive behavior, and understanding their underlying psychological mechanisms is particularly relevant among college students. However, existing research has predominantly focused on reactive aggression, while comparatively less attention has been paid to proactive aggression, which is more instrumental in nature and associated with more severe social consequences. In addition, empirical evidence regarding the valence-specific effects of awe remains limited. The present study aimed to examine the differential effects of positive and negative awe on proactive aggression and to explore the role of empathy as a potential mediating mechanism. A total of 110 college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: positive awe, negative awe, or neutral emotion. Awe was induced through video clips depicting natural landscapes. Proactive aggression was assessed using a modified bug-killing paradigm, including two behavioral indicators: force intensity and proportion of bugs killed. Empathy was measured using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. The results revealed a clear differentiation based on the valence of awe. Participants in the positive awe condition exhibited significantly lower levels of proactive aggression than those in the neutral condition across both force intensity (M = 2.86, SD = 0.81 vs. M = 4.17, SD = 0.81) and proportion of bugs killed (M = 0.68, SD = 0.25 vs. M = 0.93, SD = 0.11). In contrast, the…
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