The Effect of Emotion Priming on Risk Attitudes among Southern Chinese College Students

Abstract: The correlation between emotions and risk attitudes has been thoroughly substantiated in various disciplines such as behavioral economics, finance, and psychology. Evidence has revealed that emotions, influenced by a range of emotional factors, have the potential to significantly affect risk attitudes. Building upon prior research, this study investigates the impact of certain emotional triggers on risk attitudes in a sample of university students in southern China. A total of 55 valid subjects, including 42 females (76.4%), were enrolled in the experiment. Their risk attitudes were assessed using multiple scales, and they were randomly assigned into three groups to receive positive, neutral, and negative emotional stimuli before making risky decisions separately. The findings demonstrated that individuals who were emotionally primed with a positive emotion video were more inclined to undertake hazardous decisions compared to those exposed to negative emotional priming. This outcome aligns with earlier studies indicating that positive emotions are linked with a heightened fondness for risky behavior. In conclusion, this study corroborates the relevance of this theory to a group of undergraduates in the south of China.