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Fear from afar, not so risky after all: Distancing moderates the relationship between fear and risk taking

Mayiwar, Lewend and Björklund, Fredrik LU orcid (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)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
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}},
}