emotion
Awe
Confidence · high
A response to vastness that requires accommodation — a shift in mental schemas to take it in.
This is vast, and I am small in a meaningful way.
01
Overview
Typical triggers
- ·Mountains, oceans, night sky
- ·Music, cathedrals, great art
- ·Witnessing exceptional skill or virtue
- ·Birth, scientific discovery
Common metaphors
- “Took my breath away”
- “Stopped me in my tracks”
02
Body
- chestExpansion, openness
- skinGoosebumps, chills
- faceJaw slack, eyes wide
Mixed activation
Arousal3/5
Energy3/5
- Heart rate
- Slightly slowed; vagally mediated
- Breathing
- Slow inhale, held briefly, soft exhale
03
Mind
Attention
Wide, absorbed, time slows
Facial expression
Raised brows, slightly open mouth, soft gaze
Typical thoughts
- “Wow”
- “I had no idea”
- “I am part of something larger”
04
Behavior
- Stillness
- Quietness
- Reaching for words
- Sharing later
Environmental influences
Open horizons · Live music · Slow travel and unfamiliar places
05
Function
Promotes integration into larger groups and acceptance of new information beyond the self.
06
Interventions
- Seek nature, art, or scale weekly
- Linger longer than feels productive
- Share what you saw with someone
Reflection questions
- · What did this expand in me?
- · What feels different about my problems now?
07
Relationships
RelatedNeighborOpposite
08
Research
Keltner and Haidt: awe involves perceived vastness and need for accommodation; linked to humility and prosocial behavior.
Citations
- · Keltner & Haidt (2003). Approaching awe.
- · Piff et al. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior.