The Living Experience of Feeling Surprised

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Phenomenology
• Human Experience

Background:

• The subjective experience of emotions is a key area of psychological research.
• Understanding the nuances of common human experiences like surprise is crucial for psychological insight.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe the universal lived experience of feeling surprised.
• To uncover the fundamental structure of the surprise phenomenon.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative research method, specifically Parse's human becoming theory, was employed.
• Eight participants engaged in dialogical interviews to describe their experiences of surprise.

Main Results:

• The core structure of surprise was identified as 'stunning amazement'.
• This amazement arises amidst 'shifting fortunes'.
• Surprise involves the surfacing of 'delight amid despair' through 'diverse involvements.'

Conclusions:

• The study provides a phenomenological description of the lived experience of surprise.
• The findings illuminate the complex interplay of emotions and circumstances in the experience of surprise.
• This research contributes to a deeper understanding of human emotional responses.