Bystander intervention is critical for mitigating cyberbullying and online hate speech, yet digital environments often discourage users from speaking up because intervention is public, persistent, and potentially risky. Identifying scalable, psychologically grounded interventions to foster online moral courage is essential for maintaining prosocial digital environments. Across four experiments (N = 940), we investigated whether awe, a self-transcendent emotion inducible through brief, platform-native video content, promotes intervention in cyberbullying contexts. Results indicate that awe increased moral-courage responses across both self-reported intentions (Study 1) and behaviorally anchored reactions to a cyberbullying vignette featuring high social risk (Studies 2–3). Authentic-self pursuit consistently mediated this effect, even when accounting for amusement (Studies 2–3), general positive affect, self-smallness (Study 2), and empathy (Study 3). Notably, awe did not reduce perceived risk; instead, it increased willingness to bear risk (Study 3). Moreover, experimentally inducing authentic-self pursuit increased a behavioral measure of online moral courage (Study 4). These findings suggest that awe acts as a value-alignment mechanism (authentic-self) rather than a risk-denial mechanism. We discuss the implications for platform design and the use of emotional levers to strengthen user resilience and prosocial defense in digital communities.

Individuals with concealable stigmatized identities (CSIs) may employ avoidance strategies to hide their identities. While seemingly protective, identity avoidance may negatively impact perceived self-knowledge (i.e., self-concept clarity and self-alienation). Across six studies (N = 1,945) with U.S. and Chinese university samples, we found that those with CSIs consistently reported lower levels of perceived self-knowledge than those without (Studies 1a-1d). CSI avoidance was also uniquely associated with decreased levels of perceived self-knowledge, even when controlling for relevant factors. Experimental manipulations (Studies 2 and 3) of concealable identity salience yielded mixed evidence for direct effects on perceived self-knowledge, but consistent indirect effects through identity avoidance. The results emphasize the negative impact avoidance-based concealment may have on perceived self-knowledge among individuals with CSIs, urging future research on mitigating factors and cognitive mechanisms.

Although not everyone shapes history, everyone is present as it unfolds. Recognizing oneself as a witness to history may become especially important in an era marked by frequent landmark events. In this research, we locate individuals in the ongoing process of history and examine its existential benefits. Specifically, we hypothesize that witnessing history (i.e., the subjective sense of witnessing or being present as history unfolds) enhances meaning in life, both in terms of the presence of meaning and the search for meaning. Through five investigations, using a multimethod approach that includes large-scale field data from Weibo (2,317,527 posts) alongside experimental and field studies (N = 1,945), we found that witnessing history contributes to or increases the presence of and search for meaning. Further, connectedness to history mediates the effect of witnessing history on the presence of meaning and a broadened perspective mediates its effect on the search for meaning. Our research provides a novel insight into how situating individuals within the ongoing process of history can benefit their meaningful existence and highlights the importance of cultivating a historical awareness and preserving historical heritage. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Being objectified—that is, perceived and treated by others as an instrument rather than a full human being—is a subtle yet widespread form of interpersonal maltreatment. We hypothesized that experiencing objectification would undermine individuals' sense of self‐continuity, the perceived connection between one's past and present self. Across seven studies ( N = 1481) using a mixed‐methods approach and diverse samples from the United States, the United Kingdom, and China, we consistently found support for this hypothesis. Study 1 demonstrated a negative association between objectification and self‐continuity. Studies 2a to 2c established the causal effect of objectification on reduced self‐continuity through experimental manipulations, and crucially, ruled out the possibility that this effect was merely driven by the general negativity of the experience (Studies 2b and 2c). Studies 3a to 3c further revealed that the effect was mediated by reductions in perceived authenticity and control. Together, these findings advance our understanding of self‐continuity by identifying objectification as a previously underexplored antecedent.

Awe, a self-transcendent emotion, has been theoretically posited as a precursor to wise reasoning. However, direct empirical evidence supporting this relationship and the underlying mechanism has been limited. In four studies (N = 3700), we examined the relationship between awe and wise reasoning, as well as the mediating effect of self-transcendence, employing cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental designs. We consistently found that awe had a lagged effect on (Study 1), enhanced (Studies 2 & 3), and was associated with (Study 4) wise reasoning. Furthermore, self-transcendence mediated this relationship (Studies 3 & 4). The impact of awe on wise reasoning and mediating effect of self-transcendence could not solely be attributed to awe's predominantly positive nature, and the mediation model was established beyond the influence of self-smallness (Studies 3-4). These findings contribute to understanding the emotional trigger of wise reasoning, the cognitive implications of awe, and its role in promoting wise conflict resolution.& YEN;

Mitigating global climate change is an urgent challenge, exacerbated by many daily behaviors. Therefore, finding effective strategies to encourage environmentally friendly actions is crucial. We hypothesized that self-concept clarity enhances pro-environmental behaviors through global self-continuity. To test this, we conducted four experimental studies, two preregistered. Compared to participants with low self-concept clarity, those with high self-concept clarity demonstrated a preference for watching a video about learning reuse knowledge over a magic show (Study 1), engaged more frequently in environmental protection activities (Study 2), voted in favor of pro-environmental policies (Study 3), and scored higher on a pro-environmental scale (Study 4). Additionally, global self-continuity mediated the relationship between self-concept clarity and pro-environmental behaviors, beyond the effects of self-esteem and positive affect (Study 4). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Ostracism (being ignored and excluded) thwarts basic psychological needs fundamental for human survival. As a painful experience, ostracism has various mental health, cognitive and behavioural consequences. In this Review, we outline the main psychosocial and behavioural consequences of ostracism and consider how these consequences might be unique within specific contexts, including workplace, school and online settings. Using a multiple-process framework, we integrate the existing theoretical models and original evidence to capture the mechanisms involved in the consequences of ostracism. Based on this framework, we elaborate on potential interventions targeting the underlying processes and focusing on individual and contextual moderators to reduce the detrimental effects of ostracism. We summarize challenges in the field and outline recommendations for future research. Ostracism has specific psychosocial and behavioural consequences that might vary according to context. In this Review, Chen and colleagues elaborate on a multiple-processes framework of ostracism and propose intervention targets to reduce its detrimental consequences.

Self-instrumentalization or the perception of oneself as a functional tool, represents a psychological phenomenon that is frequently observed yet against the prohibition on using people merely as means. In our research, we hypothesized that low self-concept clarity leads to self-instrumentalization via anxiety, and that self-instrumentalization in turn reduces anxiety caused by low self-concept clarity. Our investigation consisted of five mixed-methods studies, including one large-scale survey and four experimental studies, all of which provided converging evidence supporting our hypotheses. Specifically, low self-concept clarity was either associated with (Study 1) or led to (Studies 2 & 3) self-instrumentalization, and anxiety was identified as a key factor mediating this relationship (Studies 3 & 4). Furthermore, we discovered that self-instrumentalization mitigates anxiety stemming from low self-concept clarity (Study 5). We posited that self-instrumentalization is a coping strategy for low self-concept clarity. Implications were discussed.

Deficits in self-compassion heighten the vulnerability of mental disorders and jeopardize well-being, emphasizing the necessity of fostering self-compassion during unexpected suffering. In this research, we investigate awe as an antecedent for promptly promoting self-compassion. Across five studies (three preregistered), employing various self-compassion metrics (self-report scale and behaviors) and testing in both controlled and natural settings, we found that awe was positively associated with, or promoted, self-reported self-compassion (Studies 1, 2, 4, and 5) and self-compassionate behaviors in real life (Study 5). These effects were distinct from general positive emotions (Studies 1 and 4) or nature exposure (Study 4). We further found that self-transcendence mediated this effect (Studies 2, 4, and 5) beyond self-diminishment (Study 4) and had a causal effect on promoting self-compassion (Study 3). These findings imply that awe enhances self-compassion via self-transcendence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Given the increasing prevalence of cyber spoofing and satire targeting public figures, understanding the psychological and social effects of self-deprecating humor can provide valuable insights into its effectiveness as a coping strategy. Studies 1a (N = 183) and 1b (N = 198) manipulated self-deprecating humor and examined its effect on interpersonal liking using within-participant and between-participant designs, respectively. Study 2 (N = 205) explored the moderating role of social distance and Study 3 (N = 274) investigated the mediating role of perceived forgiveness in the distant condition. The results showed that using self-deprecating humor as a coping strategy increased the celebrity’s interpersonal likeability (Study 1). Moreover, self-deprecating humor was more effective in the distant condition than in the close condition (Study 2) and may enhance interpersonal liking through perceived forgiveness (Study 3). These findings suggest that self-deprecating humor can serve as an effective strategy for celebrities to navigate cyber spoofing, particularly when addressing a distant audience. The study highlights the role of social distance and perceived forgiveness in shaping audience responses, offering practical implications for celebrity image management on social media.

We explore the relationship between self-concept clarity (SCC), scarcity perceptions, and the associated behavioral consequences. While scarcity perceptions are often linked to experiences and considerations of resource constraints, our research suggests that low SCC can induce such perceptions and decrease prosocial behavior. With six studies, we demonstrated that low SCC triggers scarcity perceptions (Studies 1A to 4B), which is mediated by increased social comparison orientation (Studies 2 to 4B). Furthermore, we found that the scarcity perceptions increased by low SCC further predict individuals’ low inclination to engage in prosocial behaviors (Studies 3 to 4B). By establishing a link between SCC and scarcity perceptions, our research departs from the traditional focus on resource constraints, broadens the factors that induce scarcity perceptions, and extends our understanding of the societal implications of low SCC.

Psychological research has explored awe’s intricate nature and far-reaching consequences. Awe profoundly influences the sense of self (which has considerable psychosocial implications), but there are complexities across the literature regarding how awe impacts the self. In this Review, we synthesize the literature about awe and suggest an integrative approach to understanding awe’s psychosocial implications. We begin by introducing awe as defined by an established theoretical model and examining the methodological challenges to the scientific study of awe. We then discuss discrepancies in current research on awe’s impacts on the self and consider an alternative approach in which awe promotes a broad, non-egocentric perspective on the self. We argue that this approach offers deep insight into the implications of awe and review related findings focusing on cognition and motivation, social dynamics and well-being. Finally, we examine cultural commonalities and diversity in experiences of awe and conclude by suggesting avenues for future inquiry. Awe has considerable psychological implications, but its multifaceted nature has hindered researchers in understanding the underlying processes. In this Review, Jiang et al. discuss how awe impacts the self and provide an integrative framework of the psychological consequences of awe.

Research in psychological science has predominantly focused on the importance of social interaction to health and well-being, neglecting how solitude relates to optimal functioning. Although solitude is sometimes perceived as an aversive state associated with loneliness and ostracism, solitude can also serve as a time for self-reflection and spiritual awakening. The aim of the current set of studies was to examine if the experience of awe might serve as an important state influencing people's attitudes toward solitude. We propose that experiencing awe makes people feel alone but not lonely-dispelling the myth that solitude incurs loneliness-and, importantly, that awe leads to positive attitudes toward solitude. Here eight studies, using complementary designs (big data analytics, experiments, experience sampling and intervention), tested and supported these hypotheses. We found that these effects of awe were mediated by self-transcendence. Furthermore, we probed the downstream consequences of these effects, showing that a brief awe intervention enhanced spiritual well-being and peace of mind by augmenting positive attitudes toward solitude.

Socially anxious individuals struggle with establishing and maintaining social relationships. We hypothesized that, when socially anxious, people often turn to nostalgia, which alleviates the interpersonal competence deficits that accompany social anxiety. We tested and supported this hypothesis in six studies ( N = 1,858), three preregistered. In cross-sectional Study 1, higher (compared with lower) social anxiety individuals more frequently identified interpersonal incompetence as a trigger of nostalgia. In cross-sectional Study 2, social anxiety was associated negatively with interpersonal competence, but positively with nostalgia, which in turn predicted higher interpersonal competence. In the final four studies, we tested causation. Although social anxiety reduced interpersonal competence, it also triggered nostalgia (Studies 3–3S), and nostalgia increased interpersonal competence (Studies 4–5).

Optimism, a positive mindset towards the future, serves various adaptive functions. While its significance has been acknowledged in the literature, the role of self-transcendence in fostering optimism remains underexplored. The present research contributes to the literature by demonstrating that awe, a typical self-transcendent emotion, fosters optimism through self-transcendence. We tested the proposition in four studies. In Study 1, we manipulated awe and found that awe boosted optimism. In Study 2, we compared the effect of awe with amusement on optimism, ruling out alternative explanations such as awe being merely a positive emotion or related to nature exposure. In Study 3, we tested the mediating effect of self-transcendence and excluded the potential mediating role of self-smallness. In Study 4, we manipulated self-transcendence and measured optimism to test the causal effect of self-transcendence on optimism. These findings offer new insights into cultivating optimism and highlight the importance of self-transcendence in this process.

Whether and how awe impacts inspiration lacks sufficient empirical research. We conducted five studies (N = 941) to examine the awe - inspiration link and the mediating effect of self-transcendence. We found that awe promoted inspiration, which was indexed by an actual behavior indicator, others' ratings (Study 1), and multiple self-reported scales (Studies 2-4). Self-transcendence mediated this effect (Studies 3-4). The effect of awe on inspiration and the mediating effect of self-transcendence were established when comparing awe with a general positive emotion (i.e., amusement in Study 2a and happiness in Study 2b) and nature (Study 4), having emotions controlled for (Studies 2-4), and inducing awe with a threatening experience (Study 4). Taken together, awe exerted a unique effect on inspiration, and self-transcendence mediated this effect.

Awe has been shown to promote well-being through various mechanisms (see Monroy & Keltner, 2023). In this research, we propose a novel perspective for the well-being benefits of awe: Awe fosters equanimity-a balanced state of mind toward all experiences of any valence-and we document how this works, namely, through temporal distancing. Across seven studies, using a combination of experiments, big data analytics, and intervention methods, we provide support for our hypotheses. In Studies 1-3, induced awe increased equanimity, indexed by a self-report scale (Study 1), a decrease in emotional reactivity (Study 2), and an unbiased behavioral approach to positive and negative experiences (Study 3). In Studies 4-6, awe increased equanimity via temporal distancing. This effect persisted beyond self-diminishment (i.e., feeling small and insignificant) and proved to be cross-culturally robust (Study 4). An analysis of almost 200,000 posts on social media (Study 5) revealed that the proposed mediation model manifested in ecologically rich contexts. Study 6 provided causal evidence for the mediation model. Finally, in a 5-day awe intervention (Study 7), awe increased psychological and physical well-being, with equanimity accounting for these benefits. Taken together, these findings reveal that awe cultivates a balanced state of mind by shifting one's temporal perspective on life events.

Angewandte Chemie International EditionVolume 63, Issue 21 e202482111 Graphical AbstractFree Access Graphical Abstract: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 21/2024 First published: 13 May 2024 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202482111AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume63, Issue21May 21, 2024e202482111 RelatedInformation