The Essence of Fate Belief: The Perceptions of Control

本研究欲了解人們所遭遇到情境極端性高低和個人所擁有的資源多寡如何影響人們對於整體情況的自覺可控性，及自覺可控性又如何引發不同共享內隱信念，隨又如何出現不同的因應方式與行為。我們首先藉由前置研究中的開放式問卷來了解參與者在遭遇哪些事件時會出現不同共享內隱信念的想法。隨後在實驗一中，我們使用故事腳本進行事件的極端性和所擁有資源的多寡之操弄。結果除了具有極端性和資源多寡的主要效果外，在傷勢好轉可能性的事前比較分析上也出現了預期的結果，在半身不遂（極端）的情況下，人脈頗佳（M資源多= 63.00）情境中的受試者認為傷者傷勢好轉的可能性顯著高於人脈不佳者（M資源少= 45.83），而在手骨骨折（非極端）的情況下，人脈好壞則並無顯著效果。實驗二則以實驗法進行，並以較貼近生活中可能遭遇到之事件進行極端性、資源多寡和運氣的操弄。另外，在實驗二中也直接測量了參與者在不同極端性和資源多寡操弄的情境中個體的整體自覺可控性和所引發的共享內隱信念。結果顯示，在掌握程度上，出現了極端性和資源多寡的主要效果。在非極端的情境（M = 3.45）中參與者的掌握程度顯著高於極端的情境（M = 2.90），而在資源較多的情境（M = 3.30）中參與者自覺的掌握程度也邊緣顯著高於資源較少的情境（M = 3.03），但在交互作用則未達顯著。我們也將三種共享內隱信念，各自進行不同操弄情境的事前比較分析，結果並未發現有任何顯著差異存在。最後我們以不冒險意願、冒險意願及冒險與否的選擇，分別進行極端性、資源多寡及運氣的三因子變異數分析，結果皆無出現顯著的三階交互作用效果，但在不冒險意願上，則出現了與自覺可控性相似的二因子交互作用。未來研究可試著直接操弄自覺可控性，藉此驗證個體之「自覺可控性」是否可做為影響共享內隱信念、認知和行為上的重要因子。Chiu et al. (2011) analyzed both Chinese and English proverbs, and revealed that there are three different fate belief orientations: personal agency, fatalism and negotiable fate. In the present study we proposed that the extremity of the encountered events and the resources one possesses together can lead to different degrees of perceived control, which could activate different fate beliefs. We used open-ended questionnaires to explore how participants perceived the relationships between encountered events and fate beliefs in the pilot study. In experiment1 we employed scenario story to manipulate events extremity (high vs. low) and the resources one possesses (abundant vs. little). The main dependent measure was the possibility of recovery of the main character in the scenario. As predicted, besides two main effects, the results also showed that in the high extremity situation, participants believed those who had abundant resource (M = 63.00) had higher possibility of recovery than those had only little resource (M = 45.83). In the low extremity situation, the impact of available resource was not significant. That is, no matter the main character had resource or not, participants believed that he stood a good chance of recovery. In experiment 2, a total of 137 participants were randomly assigned to a (event extremity: high vs. low) x 2 (available resource: sufficient vs. insufficient) x 3 (luck: good vs. bad vs. control) between-subjects experimental design. Besides participants’ perceived control of the situation, situated fate belief orientations and intention to take or avoid a risk were also measured. The results showed neither three-way nor two-way interaction. We only found two main effects for event extremity and available resource on perceived control and wiliness to avoid risk. That is, compared with those who in the low extremity situation, participants who encountered high extreme event would had less perceived control and were also less willing to take a risk. Also, participants who had little resource, compared with those who had sufficient resource, tended to report less perceived control and stronger intention of avoiding risk. The results from two experiments gave some support to the hypothesis that the extremity of the encountered events and the resources we possess did affect our perceived control of the situation and therefore affect how we interpret and react to the situation. These findings and other implications were also discussed