Fear from afar, not so risky after all: Distancing moderates the relationship between fear and risk taking
(2021) In Frontiers in Psychology 12. p.1-16- Abstract
- A growing line of research has shown that individuals can regulate emotional biases in risky judgment and decision-making processes through cognitive reappraisal. In the present study, we focus on a specific tactic of reappraisal known as distancing. Drawing on appraisal theories of emotion and the emotion regulation literature, we examine how distancing moderates the relationship between fear and risk taking and anger and risk taking. In three pre-registered studies (Ntotal = 1,483), participants completed various risky judgment and decision-making tasks. Replicating previous results, Study 1 revealed a negative relationship between fear and risk taking and a positive relationship between
anger and risk taking at low levels of... (More) - A growing line of research has shown that individuals can regulate emotional biases in risky judgment and decision-making processes through cognitive reappraisal. In the present study, we focus on a specific tactic of reappraisal known as distancing. Drawing on appraisal theories of emotion and the emotion regulation literature, we examine how distancing moderates the relationship between fear and risk taking and anger and risk taking. In three pre-registered studies (Ntotal = 1,483), participants completed various risky judgment and decision-making tasks. Replicating previous results, Study 1 revealed a negative relationship between fear and risk taking and a positive relationship between
anger and risk taking at low levels of distancing. Study 2 replicated the interaction between fear and distancing but found no interaction between anger and distancing. Interestingly, at high levels of distancing, we observed a reversal of the relationship between fear and risk taking in both Study 1 and 2. Study 3 manipulated emotion and distancing by asking participants to reflect on current fear-related and anger-related stressors from an immersed or distanced perspective. Study 3 found no main effect of emotion nor any evidence of a moderating role of distancing. However, exploratory analysis revealed a main effect of distancing on optimistic risk estimation, which was mediated by a reduction in self-reported fear. Overall, the findings suggest that distancing
can help regulate the influence of incidental fear on risk taking and risk estimation. We discuss implications and suggestions for future research. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/c0faa906-6848-47f2-93bd-56e1447a44a0
- author
- Mayiwar, Lewend and Björklund, Fredrik LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-06-25
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- judgment and decision making, emotion regulation, psychological distance, cognitive reappraisal, incidental emotions, risk taking, self-distancing
- in
- Frontiers in Psychology
- volume
- 12
- pages
- 1 - 16
- publisher
- Frontiers Media S. A.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85109744796
- pmid:34248771
- ISSN
- 1664-1078
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674059
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c0faa906-6848-47f2-93bd-56e1447a44a0
- date added to LUP
- 2021-06-23 10:51:55
- date last changed
- 2022-04-27 02:31:05
@article{c0faa906-6848-47f2-93bd-56e1447a44a0, abstract = {{A growing line of research has shown that individuals can regulate emotional biases in risky judgment and decision-making processes through cognitive reappraisal. In the present study, we focus on a specific tactic of reappraisal known as distancing. Drawing on appraisal theories of emotion and the emotion regulation literature, we examine how distancing moderates the relationship between fear and risk taking and anger and risk taking. In three pre-registered studies (<i>Ntotal</i> = 1,483), participants completed various risky judgment and decision-making tasks. Replicating previous results, Study 1 revealed a negative relationship between fear and risk taking and a positive relationship between<br/>anger and risk taking at low levels of distancing. Study 2 replicated the interaction between fear and distancing but found no interaction between anger and distancing. Interestingly, at high levels of distancing, we observed a reversal of the relationship between fear and risk taking in both Study 1 and 2. Study 3 manipulated emotion and distancing by asking participants to reflect on current fear-related and anger-related stressors from an immersed or distanced perspective. Study 3 found no main effect of emotion nor any evidence of a moderating role of distancing. However, exploratory analysis revealed a main effect of distancing on optimistic risk estimation, which was mediated by a reduction in self-reported fear. Overall, the findings suggest that distancing<br/>can help regulate the influence of incidental fear on risk taking and risk estimation. We discuss implications and suggestions for future research.}}, author = {{Mayiwar, Lewend and Björklund, Fredrik}}, issn = {{1664-1078}}, keywords = {{judgment and decision making; emotion regulation; psychological distance; cognitive reappraisal; incidental emotions; risk taking; self-distancing}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{06}}, pages = {{1--16}}, publisher = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}}, series = {{Frontiers in Psychology}}, title = {{Fear from afar, not so risky after all: Distancing moderates the relationship between fear and risk taking}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674059}}, doi = {{10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674059}}, volume = {{12}}, year = {{2021}}, }