Awe’s Influence on Prosociality: Psychological Mechanisms Across High- and Low-SES Individuals

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.2220

Abstract

Abstract:

Awe produces effects beyond ordinary positive emotions by increasing prosociality. Across five studies using survey, daily-diary, and experimental methods, awe reliably predicted prosocial behavior; small-self and authentic-self operated as parallel mediators. Socioeconomic status (SES) moderated these pathways: awe more strongly elicited the small-self among lower-SES individuals, whereas it more strongly elicited the authentic-self among higher-SES individuals. As a result, higher-SES participants showed greater prosociality via the authentic-self pathway. Mechanism tests further indicated that lower-SES people tended to activate the small-self pathway through ability-based awe, while higher-SES people tended to activate the authentic-self pathway through beauty-based awe. These findings provide a novel theoretical account and empirical support for using awe-based interventions—especially to promote charitable giving within third-distribution strategies.

Key words: awe, socioeconomic status, small self, authentic self, prosociality

HU Xiaoyong, ZHAO Yue, JI Yuexin, MA Jiaxin. (2025). Awe’s Influence on Prosociality: Psychological Mechanisms Across High- and Low-SES Individuals. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 57(12), 2220-2241.

Figures/Tables 14

References 79

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Variables	1	2	3	4
1. Trait Awe	1
2. Small Self	0.15^**	1
3. Authentic Self	0.39^***	?0.01	1
4. Prosocial Tendencies	0.41^***	0.18^***	0.28^***	1
M	5.04	4.12	6.98	3.70
SD	1.00	1.52	1.45	0.59

Variables	1	2	3	4
1. Trait Awe	1
2. Small Self	0.15^**	1
3. Authentic Self	0.39^***	?0.01	1
4. Prosocial Tendencies	0.41^***	0.18^***	0.28^***	1
M	5.04	4.12	6.98	3.70
SD	1.00	1.52	1.45	0.59

Model Path	Coeff	SE	95% CI		Effect
Model Path	Coeff	SE	Lower	Upper	Effect
Direct Effect: AWE→PT	0.22	0.03	0.155	0.283	81.48%
Indirect Effect 1: AWE→SS→PT	0.01	0.01	0.003	0.028	3.70%
Indirect Effect 2: AWE→AS→PT	0.04	0.01	0.012	0.067	14.81%
Total Indirect Effect	0.05	0.02	0.021	0.085	18.52%
Total Effect	0.27	0.03	0.212	0.330	100.00%

Model Path	Coeff	SE	95% CI		Effect
Model Path	Coeff	SE	Lower	Upper	Effect
Direct Effect: AWE→PT	0.22	0.03	0.155	0.283	81.48%
Indirect Effect 1: AWE→SS→PT	0.01	0.01	0.003	0.028	3.70%
Indirect Effect 2: AWE→AS→PT	0.04	0.01	0.012	0.067	14.81%
Total Indirect Effect	0.05	0.02	0.021	0.085	18.52%
Total Effect	0.27	0.03	0.212	0.330	100.00%

Predictor Variable	Outcome Variable
	Small Self (M₁)				Prosociality (Y)
	Coeff	SE	t	p	Coeff	SE	t	p
Awe (X)	1.57	0.24	6.58	0.000^***	0.03	0.09	0.35	0.727
Socioeconomic Status (W)	0.08	0.25	0.34	0.735
X×W	?0.76	0.35	?2.20	0.029^*
Small Self (M₁)					?0.05	0.03	?1.42	0.156
	R²= 0.23, F (3, 192) = 18.79, p < 0.001^***				R²= 0.01, F (2, 193) = 1.06, p = 0.348
	Authentic self (M₂)				Prosociality (Y)
Awe (X)	0.01	0.18	0.04	0.965	?0.08	0.08	?1.00	0.318
Socioeconomic Status (W)	0.04	0.18	0.20	0.842
X×W	0.52	0.26	2.03	0.044^*
Authentic self (M₂)					0.21	0.04	4.67	0.000^***
	R²= 0.07, F (3, 192) = 4.73, p = 0.003^**				R²= 0.10, F (2, 193) = 10.98, p < 0.001^***