Scientific Spotlight: The Research Behind the Positive Power of Awe
How to cultivate this emotion and the positive impact it has on our well-being
If I asked you to name how many emotions we experience what would you say? When I ask my clients this question I get a variety of answers, however the number is quite low. Typically the 6 basic emotions come up: sadness, fear, surprise, disgust, anger, and joy. These were the emotions scientist Paul Eckman identified in his groundbreaking work that took place in the 1960s. In the past 40 years we have broadened our emotional vocabulary and understanding of our emotional experiences. Recent research suggests, there are 27 categories of emotions. The emotions we experience can blend together—such as sadness and confusion or joy and surprise. Today I am going to talk about one of my favorite emotions, AWE. Why it is truly AWEsome, how to cultivate it in our daily lives, and how science shows it can improve our well-being and make us feel more connected with the world around us.
What Is Awe?
Dr. Dacher Keltner is a researcher and expert on emotions. He has conducted several studies on awe and written extensively about it. Earlier this year I attended his guest lecture at Penn State where he talked about his work including awe. Keltner defines awe as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world”. What is wonderful about awe is that we can actually cultivate it and access it quite easily. In his work, Keltner describes the “eight wonders of life” or sources of awe that are common across cultures. They include:
Moral Beauty. Courage others show in the face of hardship or suffering, someone who selflessly gives to another. We can access this easily in reading inspirational stories about the heroic or altruistic actions of others.
Collective Effervescence. When a group comes together to celebrate something such as weddings, sports fans celebrating their team winning a championship, graduations or other meaningful events that can be shared collectively. Next month I will be attending a 100th birthday of a family member and I have no doubt the experience will make me feel a sense of awe.
Nature. The beauty and vastness of the ocean, mountain vistas/summits, the northern lights (aurora borealis). Even the power of natural disasters (e.g., fires, earthquakes, hurricanes) can be awe inspiring. I regularly feel awe when I am hiking in my beloved state of Colorado.
My favorite hike in my favorite place. This photo represents exactly how I feel here…very small and part of something big, vast and beautiful. Music. Going to a concert, singing in a group with others, hearing a memorable musical performance that gives you chills.
Visual Design. Seeing great works of art or engineering feats (dams, Stonehenge, pyramids). Anytime I have the opportunity to visit an art museum I feel a sense of awe when I see the creativity of others expressed in paintings and sculptures.
Marveling at the beauty and enduring buildings of Machu Picchu. Spirituality and Religion. This can be found in a variety of religious practices and ceremonies and even in daily meditation.
Life and Death. The birth and death of loved ones or watching the birth of an animal or the tragic end in the circle of life. Even painful loss can bring about the sense of awe.
My husband and I meeting and holding our niece (and goddaughter) Holly for the first time. Epiphany. Coming to the realization of something (an aha moment), scientific discoveries, transformative information.
We all may respond to these things on a different level, however there are many sources of awe to choose from. The common experience between these categories is they inspire us and makes us feel a part of something bigger.
How Does Awe Benefit Us?
Here is the good news: Experiencing awe improves our mood and well being and even has positive physical outcomes. How does awe do this exactly? One study found awe reduces or softens our “default self”. The concept of our default self is the part of us that is independent, goal achieving, competitive and driven. It is what seeks to set us apart from others. When this part of us becomes too dominant we can feel isolated, disconnected, and self focused. It can also be associated with increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and self criticism. However, awe can balance and quiet a rogue default self. When people were put in awe-inspiring situations they reported feeling more connected with others and a part of something larger than themselves compared to participants in control conditions. Research has also shown participants feel an increase in humility. Awe has an instant impact on the way we feel and perceive ourselves. Feeling small, like in the photo below, can be positive and comforting by allowing us to feel connected to something larger than ourselves.
Neuroscience studies also support the positive impact of awe. Research that examined the brain during moments of induced awe (e.g., watching Planet Earth nature videos) found that the areas of the brain associated with distress—anxiety, self criticism, and depression were less active. Awe can activate our reward centers and can quiet the areas associated with the default self (default mode network). Spirituality practices such as meditation also showed positive benefits in reducing the default self.
How Can We Cultivate Awe?
Here is the best news: we have ample opportunities to create awe in our daily lives. In a study examining how frequently people experience awe, Keltner and colleagues found individuals report awe 2-3 times per week. They found awe isn’t limited to monumental events, rather it can occur in everyday moments. Awe was present in even the simplest of moments such as smelling a fragrant flower while on a walk. This past spring when the lilacs bloomed near my home I made a point of smelling them each day while walking my dog. When we know what brings about awe in us we can be intentional about seeking it out. It may be in the form of a spiritual practice or mediation, listening to music or engaging in other creative arts, reading inspirational stories, appreciating and experiencing nature. Awe is all around us. If we look for it we can find it.
Want To Learn More?
I highly recommend the book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life” by Dacher Keltner. Many of the studies I mention are described in more detail there. If you would like to watch the lecture he gave at Penn State, you can see it here. It’s a great overview and he is an excellent speaker. Fun fact—Dr. Keltner was the scientific expert who consulted on the animated films Inside Out and Inside Out 2. They are a great example of how our emotions blend together, impact us and the way we experience the world around us. If you haven’t seen them treat yourself!
All of the photos in this post inspired awe in me. Simply looking at them takes me back to that moment in time and emotional place. I invite you to join me in being intentional about looking for awe in your daily life. Seeking new experiences and reminiscing about past ones. We don’t have to do something ourselves to experience awe, simply witnessing an event can inspire awe. I know I will experience awe watching athletes compete in the Olympic Games or cyclists race in the Tour de France next month.
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This one hit home for me! 🥰
Someone with similar thoughts to my own - and better photos! 😄