Oh my: A Psychological Approach to Awe - Science Weekly Podcast

Overview

• Host: Nicola Davis
• Produced by: Max Sanderson
• Publication Date: December 14, 2018

Main Topic

• Exploration of the emotion of awe and its psychological impact.
• Discussion on the evolutionary importance of awe as one of humanity's most powerful emotions.

Key Discussions

What is Awe?

• Awe is a powerful emotion often inspired by breathtaking landscapes, art, or phenomena like sunsets.
• It is considered a lesser-studied emotion in psychology compared to joy, anger, or disgust.

Psychological and Evolutionary Importance

• Awe might be one of the most significant emotions in our emotional repertoire.
• The podcast attempts to uncover the psychological mechanisms behind awe.
• Exploration of how awe potentially benefited our ancestors and its relevance today.

Expert Guests

Professor Dacher Keltner

• Affiliation: University of California, Berkeley.
• Notable Work: Co-authored a pivotal theoretical paper on awe in 2003.
• Contributions: Provides insight into foundational theories about awe.

Dr. Melanie Rudd

• Affiliation: University of Houston.
• Research Focus: Links between time perception, well-being, and awe.
• Contributions: Offers experimental evidence supporting the theory of awe.

Key Papers Discussed

• Keltner & Haidt (2003): A foundational paper on the theory of awe.
• Rudd et al (2003): Discusses research findings on awe's effects on time perception and well-being.

Additional Resources

• Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS Feed.
• Download: Episode MP3
• Follow on Twitter: @NicolaKSDavis, @maxjsanderson, @guardianaudio
• Email: [email protected]

Conclusion

• The podcast delves into the essence of awe, emphasizing its potential benefits for modern humans and its role in our evolutionary past.
• Encourages listeners to recognize and seek experiences that provoke awe as a means of enhancing personal well-being.