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The proximal experience of awe
S Katherine Nelson-Coffey1, Peter M Ruberton2, Joseph Chancellor2
1Department of Psychology, The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, United States of America.
Plos One
|May 24, 2019
Summary
Awe-inspiring experiences often evoke multiple positive emotions, including compassion, gratitude, and love. These feelings, along with connectedness and self-reflection, may be linked to broader self-transcendent emotional experiences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Emotional Science
Background:
- Research on awe has significantly increased, yet its capacity to inspire other discrete emotions remains underexplored.
- Few studies have investigated the relationship between awe, self-relevant thoughts, and feelings of connectedness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether awe-inducing interventions also evoke other discrete emotions.
- To examine the association between awe experiences, self-relevant thoughts, and connectedness.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted, manipulating awe using virtual reality (spacewalk) and video stimuli (Earth from space).
- Participants experienced a prototypical awe induction accompanied by Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot' audio clip.
- Emotions, self-relevant thoughts, and connectedness were measured post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Awe experiences were associated with increased awe, compassion, gratitude, love, and optimism.
- Significant increases in connectedness and self-relevant thoughts were observed alongside emotional changes.
- Interactions between self-relevant thoughts, connectedness, and evoked emotions were bidirectional.
Conclusions:
- Prototypical awe experiences elicit a broader range of positive emotions beyond awe itself.
- Awe-inspiring experiences may be better understood as self-transcendent, encompassing multiple positive emotions.
- The benefits attributed to awe might stem from these broader self-transcendent emotional effects, warranting further investigation.
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