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Is moral elevation an approach-oriented emotion?

Van de Vyver, Julie, Abrams, Dominic (2016) Is moral elevation an approach-oriented emotion? The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12 (2). pp. 178-185. ISSN 1743-9760. E-ISSN 1743-9779. (doi:10.1080/17439760.2016.1163410) (KAR id:55836)

Abstract

Two studies were designed to test whether moral elevation should be conceptualized as an approach-oriented emotion. The studies examined the relationship between moral elevation and the behavioral activation and inhibition systems. Study 1 (N = 80) showed that individual differences in moral elevation were associated with individual differences in behavioral activation but not inhibition. Study 2 (N = 78) showed that an elevation-inducing video promoted equally high levels of approach orientation as an anger-inducing video and significantly higher levels of approach orientation than a control video. Furthermore, the elevation-inducing stimulus (vs. the control condition) significantly promoted prosocial motivation and this effect was sequentially mediated by feelings of moral elevation followed by an approach-oriented state. Overall the results show unambiguous support for the proposal that moral elevation is an approach-oriented emotion. Applied and theoretical implications are discussed.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/17439760.2016.1163410
Uncontrolled keywords: Affect, altruism, moral beauty, motivation, moral elevation, approach
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Dominic Abrams
Date Deposited: 30 Mar 2017 14:16 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Feb 2021 13:35 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/55836 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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