Intergroup relations in the impact of virtual reality-induced positive awe and threat-based awe on altruism

According to the prototypical model proposed by Keltner and Haidt (2003), awe is a complex emotion characterized by two central and five peripheral features. This study aimed to establish the validity/reliability of the Turkish adaptation (HDDÖ) of the AWE-S originally developed by Yaden et al. (2018). The EFA revealed that the 16 items in the scale were grouped into four subscales, and the factors explained 82.379% of the total variance. The HDDÖ (α=.92) measures individuals' state awe experiences in four dimensions: altered time perception (α=.82), connectedness (α=.96), vastness (α=.94), and need for accommodation (α=.93). Studies emphasize the positive impact of awe experiences on altruistic behavior (AB). The aim of this study is to measure the effects of VR-induced threat-based awe (TEH) and positive awe (POH) experiences on AB based on the in-group favouritism/out-group discrimination, and to examine the effects of POH/TEH stimuli on AB when presented as positive (DİPOH) or threatening (DİTEH) in a religious context (exposure to verses from the Quran theoretically considered to be content-related to these stimuli). Literature review revealed that VR content (volcanic eruptions for TEH and natural landscapes for POH) has been found to be highly effective in inducing TEH and POH. The study was conducted with 112 female participants (70 veiled/42 unveiled) using an experimental design consisting of six experimental and two control conditions. The findings revealed no statistically significant differences in average AB toward the outgroup in the POH/TEH/control conditions. However, participants in the control conditions exhibited significantly higher levels of AB toward the ingroup compared to participants in the awe conditions. Additionally, participants in the DİPOH/DİTEH conditions demonstrated significantly higher levels of AB toward the outgroup compared to those in the TEH and control conditions. These findings were subsequently evaluated within the context of relevant awe models and theories of intergroup relations. Keywords: Altruism, Awe, Intergroup Relations, Positive Awe, Threat-based Awe