Why does one want to feel socially engaging emotions? The role of self-transcendence values on desired emotions among adolescents
Personality and Individual Differences February 1, 2022 Ping Liu, Shujin Zhou, Liyin Cui et al.
Adolescents who value self-transcendence (e.g., caring for others) tend to want more socially engaging emotions like empathy and love, while those who value self-enhancement (e.g., personal success) do not show a clear preference for socially disengaging emotions like anger. In one study, teens rated their values and desired emotions; in another, they chose images to view. Teens with stronger self-transcendence values chose more social and neutral images than those with stronger self-enhancement values. The findings support a value-based account of desired emotions in adolescents.