Relationship Between People Pleasing and Risk-Taking Behavior in Emerging Adults: Role of Perceived Social Support as A Mediator

Abstract

This study examines the association between people-pleasing behavior, perceived social support, and risk-taking tendencies among emerging adults, focusing on whether perceived social support mediates the relationship between people-pleasing and risk-taking behavior. Emerging adults aged 18-29 years participated in an online study, and measures such as the Martin-Larsen Approval Motivation Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the General Risk-Taking Propensity Scale were administered to a sample of 266 individuals. Key findings revealed a significant negative correlation between people-pleasing behaviors and perceived social support (p < 0.05), suggesting that individuals engaging in people-pleasing report lower levels of perceived support. There was also a slight negative relationship between people-pleasing and risk-taking behavior (p < 0.05), indicating that people-pleasers are less inclined to take risks. Notably, perceived social support was positively associated with risk-taking behaviors (p < 0.05), implying that those with higher levels of perceived support may be more likely to engage in risk-taking. However, mediation analysis showed that perceived social support did not significantly mediate the relationship between people-pleasing and risk-taking behaviors. Despite trends observed in the data, statistical significance was not achieved for the mediation effect (p = 0.304). These findings suggest that while there are directional tendencies, further investigation is necessary to explore the complex interplay of psychosocial factors, such as self-esteem and attachment styles, which may influence these relationships. More rigorous studies are recommended to clarify these dynamics.