Social Behavior and Personality

The double-edged sword effect of artificial intelligence usage on well-being: Self-efficacy and ego depletion as mediators

Lanfeng Zhou — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

While artificial intelligence (AI) applications have been widely integrated into contemporary life, the predictive effect of AI on well-being remains paradoxical. Building on conservation of resources theory, this study hypothesized that AI would both foster and erode resources. Hence, I examined two conflicting mediating mechanisms in the relationship between AI usage and well-being: self-efficacy and ego depletion. I conducted a survey of 487 college students and found that self-efficacy and ego depletion acted as opposing mediators. AI usage boosted self-efficacy, while also contributing to ego depletion. Subsequently, self-efficacy enhanced well-being, whereas ego depletion diminished well-being. This study provides fresh perspectives on the paradoxical relationship between AI usage and well-being, and underscores the value of a balanced approach when utilizing AI features.

Extraversion and entrepreneurial intention: Dual mediation of social support and institutional resources

Jie Gao, Mingjun Li — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

This study examined the dual mediating roles of perceived social support and institutional resources (e.g., entrepreneurship training and funding access) in the relationship between extraversion and entrepreneurial intention among Chinese college students. We conducted a survey of 589 students at Shaanxi Preschool Teachers’ College, and structural equation modeling revealed that extraversion not only directly predicted entrepreneurial intention, but was also indirectly associated with entrepreneurial intention through the mediators of social support and institutional resources. Exploratory analysis revealed gender and disciplinary differences, with men and those in applied fields (e.g., engineering) exhibiting stronger intentions than women and those working in theoretical fields. These findings extend Shapero and Sokol’s (1982) entrepreneurial event model by incorporating institutional drivers, and offer practical strategies for universities to develop tailored entrepreneurship programs.

Proactive personality influences career decidedness through goal reengagement and goal commitment

Xuan Yu, Jian Zhou, Yue Yuan, Nan Luo, Jun Gao — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Amid intensifying technological disruption and labor-market volatility, career decision making has become critical for young adults’ sustainable development. Grounded in self-regulation theory and goal-setting theory, this study investigated how proactive personality influences career decidedness through goal reengagement (mediator) and goal commitment (moderator) by conducting a multiwave survey of 1,077 young adults in southwest China. Results revealed that proactive personality positively predicted career decidedness, with goal reengagement mediating this relationship, and goal commitment moderating the relationship between goal reengagement and career decidedness. By reconceptualizing career decidedness as a goal-driven dynamic process, this research advances theoretical frameworks and offers practical strategies.

Physical exercise and prosocial behavior among rural adolescents: Evidence from the China Education Panel Survey

Li Li, Hua Li — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

This study investigated the predictive effect of physical exercise on prosocial behavior among rural adolescents, analyzing data from the China Education Panel Survey for 2014–2015 by using multiple linear regression and quantile regression models to assess the predictive effect and heterogeneity of physical exercise. The sample comprised 4,219 students from 112 rural schools. Results showed that physical exercise significantly promoted prosocial behavior in these adolescents. Adolescents at midquantiles benefitted the most, showing an inverted V-shaped structure with higher benefits in the middle and lower benefits at both ends. Only children (vs. children with siblings) gained more from physical exercise, but exhibited greater polarization. Adolescents from low-income (vs. upper–middle income) families benefitted more from physical exercise and also showed polarization. These findings provide new insights into how physical exercise promotes prosocial behavior among rural adolescents from diverse backgrounds, and offer a basis for developing targeted physical activities.

Status and knowledge hoarding in organizations: High perceived status boosts employee creativity but hinders in-role performance

Zhenzhu Chen, Xinyue Lin, Juan Du — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

To date, there has been no comprehensive exploration of the antecedents and consequences of knowledge withholding by individuals in an organization. We conducted a two-stage field survey with 885 employees across 250 teams in Chinese enterprises to examine the role of perceived status in shaping employees’ knowledge-hoarding behaviors and the corresponding effects on their in-role performance and creativity. The results showed that employees with high (vs. low) self-perceived status were less prone to knowledge hoarding. Knowledge hoarding positively predicted in-role performance but negatively predicted creativity. Additionally, employees’ need for high status intensified the indirect negative relationships between perceived status and in-role performance via knowledge hoarding, and between perceived status and creativity via knowledge hoarding. These findings have implications for addressing the contradiction that employees hoard knowledge to enhance their performance, but hoarding inhibits the dissemination of knowledge and thereby reduces organizational creativity.

What prompts consumers to buy impulsively in blind-box live streaming? The effect of emotional contagion

Dan Luo, Yi Wang, Zeyuan Wang — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

As an innovative and interactive emerging marketing model, blind-box live streaming provides businesses with new sales channels. However, there have been few studies of the drivers of impulse buying in blind-box live streaming scenarios. Thus, we extended stimulus–organism–response theory to explore factors correlated with impulsive buying in the context of blind-box live streaming, analyzing data from 263 live streaming users through structural equation modeling. We found that live streamers’ characteristics, the live streaming servicescape, and the attributes of the blind box each had a positive relationship with consumers’ impulsive buying, while positive affect played a significant mediating role. These findings suggest that industry practitioners should focus on cultivating the unique charm of live streamers, creating an attractive live streaming environment, and using the attributes of blind boxes to create positive consumer emotions and promote impulsive consumption behavior.

Paradoxical leadership and employee voice: Superior–subordinate relationships and psychological safety as chain mediators

Xin Wang, Hanruo Wu, Ruyi Gao, Yu Sun — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Employee voice behavior is a pivotal determinant in fostering organizational innovation and driving improvement. Leaders, who assume the role of custodians of organizational resources and are the key recipients of employee feedback, exert a substantial influence on this behavior. We constructed a chain mediation model from the dual perspectives of superior–subordinate relationships and psychological safety to explain the influence of paradoxical leadership on employee voice behavior, using data from 597 Chinese employees. The results demonstrated that paradoxical leadership had a significant positive effect on employee voice, and superior–subordinate relationships and psychological safety had both independent and chain mediating effects on this relationship. These findings provide empirical evidence for understanding how paradoxical leadership influences employee voice and offer practical insights for breaking employee silence and motivating voice behavior.

The impact of positive group counseling on college students’ emotional state in the postpandemic era

Qianying Luo, Zhouting Shi — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Using positive psychology theory, we designed a structured 6-week group counseling intervention for 30 college students, comparing experimental and control groups in terms of their pretest and posttest scores on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Positive affect and negative affect scores were the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. Results showed statistically significant differences between the groups at posttest. The experimental group showed significantly higher positive affect scores and significantly lower negative affect scores postintervention, with these effects persisting 1 month after the completion of group counseling. There were no statistically significant differences in the control group’s pretest and posttest scores for either positive or negative affect. These findings suggest that in the postpandemic era, group counseling grounded in positive psychology can have a positive impact on college students’ emotional state.

Adverse childhood experiences, belief in a just world, and prosocial behavior among university students

Zhe Zhang, Xinxin Ding, Rui Wang, Chuyi Wu — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

This study explored the association between adverse childhood experiences and prosocial behavior among university students, along with the mediating function of belief in a just world. We recruited 785 university students across three universities, who completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale, the Belief in a Just World Scale, and the Prosocial Tendencies Measures. The results of correlation and mediation analysis showed that adverse childhood experiences significantly and negatively predicted university students’ prosocial behavior, and belief in a just world had a positive association with university students’ prosocial behavior. Further, belief in a just world mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and prosocial behavior. These findings highlight the importance of adverse childhood experiences and belief in a just world in promoting the development of prosocial skills in university students.

How adolescent personality shapes impulsive buying: Unpacking a moderated mediation path

Qiong Jia, Zhiyuan Chen, Anqi Zhang — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

This research examined how the Big Five personality traits drive adolescents’ impulsive buying tendencies, incorporating social networking addiction as a mediator and negative emotions as a moderator. Using two-wave survey data from 153 respondents aged 13–25 years, we measured the Big Five personality traits, negative emotions, social networking addiction, and impulsive buying tendency. The empirical results showed that social networking addiction mediated the effect of the personality dimensions of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism on respondents’ impulsive buying tendency; further, negative emotions moderated how these personality traits related to addictive social networking use. Our findings enrich research on adolescent consumer behavior by highlighting the role of personality in shaping impulsive consumption via digital overuse, and clarifying the conditions under which negative affect intensifies or weakens these links. These insights can inform strategies for guiding adolescents to use social media responsibly and make more rational purchase decisions.

Physical exercise and suicide risk: Anxiety as a mediator and self-control as a moderator

Yong Tang, Qinglei Mu — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Suicide has become a leading cause of death among college students worldwide; therefore, identifying modifiable protective factors is critical for developing interventions to reduce suicide risk. This study examined the effects of physical exercise on college students’ suicide risk, incorporating anxiety as a mediator and self-control as a moderator. Participants (N = 482 university students in China) completed the Physical Exercise Rating Scale, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire–Revised, the Generalized Anxiety Scale, and the Self-Control Scale. The results indicated that there was a negative relationship between physical exercise and suicide risk, with anxiety acting as a significant mediator. Further, high self-control enhanced the negative relationship between physical exercise and suicide risk, reducing the positive relationship between anxiety and suicide risk. Therefore, regular physical exercise and a higher level of self-control may reduce suicide risk among college students.

Harsh parenting and adolescents’ nonsuicidal self-injury: Rejection sensitivity and depression as serial mediators

Jiade Ye, Yanbin Jiang, Ying Liang — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

We conducted this study to explore effective ways to reduce adolescents’ nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Grounded in the four-function model of NSSI, this study examined the effect of negative parenting styles, relationship insecurity, and emotional problems on NSSI among 1,408 adolescents in China. The results showed that harsh parenting, rejection sensitivity, and depression significantly and positively predicted NSSI. Further, rejection sensitivity and depression acted as both independent and serial mediators in the association between harsh parenting and NSSI. Our findings provide direct and indirect paths to reduce NSSI among adolescents, and provide a basis for future interventions.

Childhood maltreatment influences cyberbullying in young adulthood: A moderated mediation model

Yanmei Tang, Jie Zhang, Hongji Chen, Ziying Duan, Hong Zhou — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

There is a gap in understanding how risk and protective factors interact and accumulate in the process of childhood maltreatment influencing cyberbullying. Therefore, we investigated trait anger as a mediator and resilience as a moderator of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cyberbullying. Participants were 263 Chinese preschool education students who completed an online survey. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between childhood maltreatment and cyberbullying, with trait anger playing a partial mediating role in this relationship. Further, resilience negatively moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cyberbullying. To mitigate the relationship of childhood maltreatment and trait anger with cyberbullying and enhance the psychological well-being of survivors of abuse, multiple targeted interventions and programs are necessary.

Leader charisma influences unethical prosupervisor behavior via leadership identification and organizational identification

Gao Wang, Guiyun Chen, Hua Gao, Xueping She — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Charismatic leadership has a powerful influence on employee attitudes and actions. We proposed a moderated mediation model to examine the predictive effect of leader charisma on followers’ unethical prosupervisor behavior via leadership identification (mediator) and organizational identification (moderator). We conducted a regression analysis of surveys completed by 515 employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises. The findings supported the predictive effect of leader charisma on leadership identification, and of leadership identification positively on unethical prosupervisor behavior. Leader charisma also had a positive influence on unethical prosupervisor behavior. In addition, leadership identification mediated the relationship between leader charisma and unethical prosupervisor behavior. Organizational identification moderated the relationship between leadership identification and unethical prosupervisor behavior, and also positively moderated the indirect predictive effect of leader charisma on unethical prosupervisor behavior through leadership identification. This study enriches understanding of charisma theory and offers both theoretical and practical implications.

Self-efficacy and academic buoyancy of Chinese undergraduates studying English: Self-regulated learning as a mediator

Zhi Li, Mohd Rustam Mohd Rameli — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Navigating the academic challenges of learning English as a foreign language at the undergraduate level necessitates sustained motivation and confidence while employing effective learning strategies. We investigated the relationship between self-efficacy and academic buoyancy, and explored the mediating role of self-regulated learning. Our sample comprised 621 Chinese undergraduates who were studying English as a foreign language. Results of correlation analysis and structural equation modeling indicated that self-efficacy positively predicted academic buoyancy, with self-regulated learning serving as a significant partial mediator. These results elucidate the underlying mechanism linking self-efficacy to academic buoyancy and offer implications for fostering students’ resilience in foreign language learning.

Linking perceived teacher support to teacher–student relationships: Mediation of gratitude and moderation of humility

Yi Ma, Chao Li — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

While prior research has linked perceived teacher support and teacher–student relationships (TSR), the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Thus, we investigated the mediating role of gratitude and the moderating effect of humility on this relationship. The sample comprised 387 university students in China. We found a positive association between perceived teacher support and TSR, with gratitude mediating this relationship. This implies that perceived teacher support enhanced TSR partly by evoking feelings of gratitude in students. Humility moderated this mediated pathway, as higher levels of humility amplified the indirect effect of perceived teacher support on TSR through gratitude. These results underscore the significance of considering both external support and individual differences in cultivating positive TSR. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in detail.

Transformational leadership predicts grassroots civil servants’ taking charge: Influence of role identity, workload, and optimism

Ke Xu, Zhuokai Ren, Dongming Gu — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

This study applied the stimulus–organism–response model, along with role identification theory and psychological capital theory, to examine the influence of transformational leadership on subordinates’ taking-charge behavior, incorporating role identity as a mediator, and workload and optimism as moderators. We surveyed 465 grassroots civil servants in China and found that transformational leadership positively predicted taking-charge behavior, with role identity serving as a mediating factor. Workload had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between transformational leadership and role identity, and optimism moderated the relationship between role identity and taking-charge behavior. However, we did not find support for either the hypothesized inverted U-shaped relationship between optimism and taking-charge behavior, or the full dual-regulation intermediary model. Our findings enrich research on grassroots civil servants’ accountability behaviors and have implications for optimizing leadership styles, strengthening employees’ role identity, and reducing excessive workload at the grassroots level.

Community services, unmet needs, and health among older adults in China: Self-determination as a mediator

Mofei Wang, Chunlei Fan, Ligang Wang, Ting Tao, Wenbin Gao — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1300

We used data for 1,748 people aged 70–116 years drawn from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study to assess pathways among community services provided for daily care, medical services, spiritual recreation, legal aid, unmet needs in these services, self-determination, and self-rated health. Daily care services were positively associated with self-rated health but reduced self-determination, whereas medical and spiritual services were positively associated with self-determination. Unmet needs for daily care services were directly associated with poorer self-rated health, and unmet needs for medical/spiritual services were negatively associated with self-determination. There was a positive association between self-rated health and self-determination, and self-determination mediated the associations of daily care, medical services, and spiritual services with self-rated health, and the association between unmet needs for medical and spiritual services and self-rated health. Addressing unmet needs in community services and fostering self-determination are critical pathways to promoting good health for older adults.