INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AWE AND HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOURS: DOES AWE PREDICT A HEALTHY LIFE?

Abstract

Background: The emotion of awe has been found to be related to many prosocial functions. It is of value to study whether awe facilitates health-related behaviours such as healthy eating or exercising. Awe may also play a role in eradicating unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption and snacking. Awe could have its effect on our health-related lifestyles through mediators such as small-self, health locus of control, and health values. Aim of Study: This study investigates the relationships between awe and six health-related behaviours in a Singaporean undergraduate sample. Potential mediators of small-self, health locus of control, and health values are examined. Method: This study utilised an event-sampling design – 100 undergraduate students from the National University of Singapore completed self-report questionnaires over 8 consecutive days, measuring their levels of awe as well as the actual performance of health-related behaviours spanning six domains. Correlational analyses, linear and multiple regression analyses, and simple mediation analyses were conducted. Results: Awe was found to predict healthy behaviours in two areas: fruit and vegetables consumption, and exercise duration. Awe was also supported to predict unhealthy behaviours in snacking, and alcohol consumption. No mediators were found. Conclusion: While preliminary findings espouse some validity of awe as a predictor for some health-related behaviours, a stronger conclusion would point to awe’s role in general food consumptive behaviours. Implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.