The Psychological Mechanism of the Influence of Social Exclusion on Risk-Taking Behavior

摘要

This study examined the mediating role of state self-esteem in the effect of so cial exclusion on risk-taking behavior and the moderating role of self-affirmation in the effect of social exclusion on risk-taking behavior. In experiment 1, social rejection was manipulated through the Cyberball paradigm, and risk-taking behaviors were measured using Balloon Analogue Risk Task, which confirmed the positive effect of social rejection on risk-taking behaviors. Experiment 2 measured individuals’ state self-esteem by questionnaire, and investigated the mediating effect of state self-esteem between social rejection and risk-taking behavior. Experiment 3 tested the regulating effect of self-affirmation by manipulating the subjects’ self-affirmation. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: 1) social exclusion significantly affected risk-taking behaviors, and the level of risk-taking behaviors in the social exclusion group was significantly higher than that in the social acceptance group; 2) state self-esteem plays a partial medi ating role between social exclusion and risky behaviors; 3) self-affirmation moderates the mediating effect of state self-esteem and the direct effect of social excl usion on risk-taking behavior.