Poster Presentation International Positive Psychology Association 8th IPPA World Congress 2023

Awe’s impact on meaning in life across two experimental studies (#886)

Angelina Sung 1 , Dylan R Marsh 1 , Noah W Stafford 1 , Michael F Steger 1
  1. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States

 

Experiencing awe – an emotional state comprised of a sense of vastness and need for cognitive accommodation (Keltner & Haidt, 2003) – is associated with favorable outcomes, including enhanced life satisfaction and prosociality (Piff et al., 2015; Rudd et al., 2012). However, research on awe’s effects on meaning in life – an important component of subjective well-being (Heintzelman, 2018) – has yielded mixed results. Studies show that awe increases meaning via happiness and pursuit of purpose, yet decreases meaning via self-diminishment and reduction in significance (Dai et al., 2022; Rivera et al., 2020). We conducted two experimental studies to illuminate awe’s effects on meaning in life.

In Study 1, 152 undergraduate students (82.2% female; 76.3% White; mean age = 18.9) were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was asked to write about an awe-inducing experience, while the other group wrote about a daily experience. Both subsequently filled out a survey. Study 2 followed the same procedure as Study 1, but 154 undergraduate students (76.0% female; 77.2% White; mean age = 19.0) were randomized to watch an awe-eliciting or instructional video in lieu of the writing task.

Results of Study 1 revealed no significant group differences in presence of meaning, but those in the awe group had higher search for meaning (t(146) = -2.06, p < .05, d = .17). Results of Study 2 indicated no significant group differences in presence of meaning or search for meaning.

These findings suggest that a writing task may be a more salient induction of awe than watching a video as writing’s autobiographical nature may have deeper links to meaning-making. The findings also suggest that awe inductions trigger search for meaning, supporting the notion that awe is a meaning-making emotion (Ihm et al., 2019). Future research should examine variables that explain awe’s effects on search for meaning. 

  1. Dai, Y., Jiang, T., & Miao, M. (2022). Uncovering the Effects of Awe on Meaning in Life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(7), 3517–3529.
  2. Heintzelman, S. J. (2018). Eudaimonia in the Contemporary Science of Subjective Well-Being: Psychological Well-Being, Self-Determination, and Meaning in Life. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of Well-Being. Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers.
  3. Ihm, E. D., Paloutzian, R. F., van Elk, M., & Schooler, J. W. (2019). Awe as a meaning-making emotion: On the evolution of awe and the origin of religions. In J. R. Feierman, & L. Oviedo (Eds.), The Evolution of Religion, Religiosity and Theology (pp. 138–153). Routledge.
  4. Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314.
  5. Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899.
  6. Rivera, G. N., Vess, M., Hicks, J. A., & Routledge, C. (2020). Awe and meaning: Elucidating complex effects of awe experiences on meaning in life. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(2), 392–405.
  7. Rudd, M., Vohs, K. D., & Aaker, J. (2012). Awe Expands People’s Perception of Time, Alters Decision Making, and Enhances Well-Being. Psychological Science, 23(10), 1130–1136.
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