Tendency to Feel Awe Bodes Well for School Success

The more psychologists learn about awe, the more they’re coming to see it as an emotion that brings out some of the best of human behavior. Awe seems to drive scientific inquiry, with scientists being more prone to awe and non-scientists becoming more interested in science when they experience awe. Feelings of awe can also…

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Awe and Self-Transcendence

It’s interesting how many of our everyday concerns look petty when viewed from outer space. Experiences that inspire awe in us can shift our perspective and lead us to look beyond what’s immediately in front of us. The idea that awe changes us was the basis for a recent psychology study in which researchers asked…

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Awe, the Unknown and Science

Think of an experience you’ve had that inspires awe – seeing the night sky or a stunning landscape, for example. Part of that feeling is probably a sense of wonder at the vastness, the complexity and the mystery of the universe we live in. On some level, feeling awe is about appreciating how small we…

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Ability to Feel Awe May Drive Scientific Thinking

Thinking scientifically involves putting forward logical explanations and dispassionately considering the evidence. But underlying scientific inquiry might be a more profound emotion: awe. Evidence for this idea comes from a study published this month in the journal Cognitive Science. The study, by researchers at University of California, Berkeley, found that a more scientific way of…

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