VIDEOSThe Science of Awe

How Awe Transforms the Body and Mind

Lani Shiota argues that awe is a fundamental part of being human—making our bodies and minds more receptive to new information, new experiences, and life’s deeper meaning.

By Michelle Lani Shiota | August 2016 | TRT 34:22

View Comments

Finding Awe in the Ordinary

By Greater Good

An Entertaining Tour of Our Awesome Universe

By Alex Filippenko

How Culture Shapes the Experience of Awe

By Jennifer Stellar

Awe is Everywhere

By Dacher Keltner

Why Awe Is Such an Important Emotion

By Dacher Keltner

Can Awe Combat Narcissism?

By Paul Piff

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

The Science of Happiness at Work

Greater Good's online course series offering research-based strategies for more satisfaction, connection, and purpose at work. CEs for health professionals & HR managers.

Learn More
Speaker Profile

Michelle Lani Shiota

Michelle “Lani” Shiota completed her Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology at University of California, Berkeley, in 2003, and then received…

View Profile
More From THIS SERIES

The Science of Awe

When we visit a beautiful vista, or hear a certain song, or look up at the clouds we’re often taken aback with the feeling of awe.

Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world. It’s a universal emotion, and research shows its impacts are astounding.

On The Science of Awe, the new series by The Science of Happiness, we explore what happens in our bodies and brains when we experience the vast and incomprehensible, and how it changes us for the better.
View All Videos
Related Articles
- The Benefits of Feeling Awe
  
  We talk with a researcher and a veteran at UC Berkeley to try to understand the impact of awe on well-being.
- How Awe Can Help Students Develop Purpose
  
  Research suggests that inducing awe in the classroom might inspire kids to find a sense of purpose in life
- An Awesome Way to Make Kids Less Self-Absorbed
  November 28, 2012
  Research suggests that experiencing awe helps kids focus less on themselves and more on the world around them.
Take the Awe Quiz

Could your life be more awe-some?
Take the Quiz
Are You the A*Hole?

Worried that you might be wrong in that argument you're having? Intellectual humility can help.
The Contagious Power of Compassion (The Science of Happiness)

Compassionate dialogue isn’t just about talking and listening—it's a meaningful way to bridge divides, cultivate belonging, and reimagine education as a space for connection.

Related Videos

Comments