The Psychology of Awe
How amazement can improve your life
Staring down a snow-covered mountain. Gazing at a clear sky full of stars. Taking in the perfect neon pink sunset. Each of these experiences evokes awe –– that jaw-dropped, goosebumps-ridden feeling you get in the presence of something big and beautiful. While a moment of pleasure is enough of a reward, scientific research suggests the effects of awe long outlast the initial goosebumps, even improving people’s long-term well-being.
Like many emotions, awe likely evolved in humans for a reason: to boost the odds you’ll stay alive. Psychologists Jonathan Haidt and Dacher Keltner posit in a 2003 paper that awe may have evolved to promote devotion to leaders and social cohesion. When you’re devoted to your tribe’s leader, you’ll be more likely to follow their commands –– and in the long-term, to stay alive.
Alternatively, psychologists Alice Chirico and David Yaden suggest awe developed to keep our hunting-and-gathering ancestors alive in a more literal sense, by encouraging them to seek out vistas that would allow them a bird’s eye view on potential attackers.
Whatever the reason awe served our ancestors, it’s becoming clearer in scientific research that the experience of awe can help us thrive in our lives today. A number of psychological studies suggest that being in awe…
