Azulay Hagar, Guy Nitzan, Pertzov Yoni, Israel Salomon
Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Front Neurosci. 2022 Apr 25;16:814789. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.814789. eCollection 2022.
How does acute stress influence the degree to which we cooperate with others? Research on the effects of stress on social decision-making is guided by two seemingly contrasting theories. Acute stress may trigger a Fight-or-Flight response, manifested by increased anxiety, and more egocentric or selfish behavior. Alternatively, according to the Tend-and-Befriend model, acute stress may induce affiliative behaviors, marked by increased prosociality in an effort to seek and receive social support and protection. Extant studies on the topic do not provide consistent support for either pattern of behavior, with studies showing evidence for both Fight-or-Flight or Tend-and-Befriend like responses. One possibility, may be the nature of social responses to stressful situations differ as a function of the individual. In the current study, we demonstrate an example of such a person-by-situation interaction, showing that acute stress can cause either pro-social or selfish responses, contingent on individual differences in trait empathy. One hundred and twenty three participants (60 F) were assessed for trait empathy using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index; consequently, they underwent either the Trier Social Stress Test-a well-validated paradigm for eliciting acute psychosocial stress-or a non-stress inducing control condition. Following exposure to either the stress or control condition, participants played a one-shot Dictator Game to evaluate their generosity levels. Statistical analyses revealed that acute stress by itself did not affect the amount transferred in the Dictator Game. Rather, individual differences in trait empathy moderated the effects of stress on giving. Elevations in stress-induced cortisol resulted in more generous behavior, but only in individuals high in empathy. In contrast, in individuals low in empathy, a greater rise in stress-induced cortisol resulted in more selfish behavior. Effects were more pronounced in females than males. Our findings highlight the necessity of integrating personality traits as important moderators of the link between stress and sociality.
急性应激如何影响我们与他人合作的程度？关于应激对社会决策影响的研究受到两种看似相互矛盾的理论的指导。急性应激可能引发“战斗或逃跑”反应，表现为焦虑增加以及更以自我为中心或自私的行为。或者，根据“照料和结盟”模型，急性应激可能诱发亲和行为，其特征是亲社会行为增加，旨在寻求和获得社会支持与保护。关于该主题的现有研究并未为这两种行为模式提供一致的支持，一些研究显示出“战斗或逃跑”或“照料和结盟”样反应的证据。一种可能性是，对压力情境的社会反应的性质因个体而异。在当前的研究中，我们展示了这样一种个体与情境相互作用的例子，表明急性应激可能导致亲社会或自私的反应，这取决于特质共情的个体差异。123名参与者（60名女性）使用人际反应指数评估了特质共情；随后，他们接受了特里尔社会应激测试——一种用于引发急性心理社会应激的有效范式——或无应激诱导的对照条件。在暴露于应激或对照条件后，参与者进行了一次性独裁者博弈以评估他们的慷慨程度。统计分析表明，急性应激本身并未影响独裁者博弈中给予的金额。相反，特质共情的个体差异调节了应激对给予行为的影响。应激诱导的皮质醇升高导致更慷慨的行为，但仅在高共情个体中如此。相比之下，在低共情个体中，应激诱导的皮质醇更大幅度的升高导致更自私的行为。女性的影响比男性更明显。我们的研究结果强调了将人格特质作为应激与社会性之间联系的重要调节因素进行整合的必要性。
