“The Awe is In the Process”: The nature and impact of professional scientists' experiences of awe

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a call in the research for greater attention to the role of affect in science learning and practice. Awe, which is characterized in the literature as an emotion that facilitates learning and motivates an orientation toward something larger than the self, appears frequently in scientists' descriptions of their work. Empirical evidence also suggests that awe has a unique relationship with scientific reasoning. However, this evidence comes primarily from tightly controlled laboratory research, a methodology that limits our ability to investigate more authentic manifestations of awe and any lingering effects that may extend beyond the initial moment of experience. This study, a qualitative analysis of interviews with professional scientists (n = 30), advances our understanding of the conditions that are likely to elicit awe in the context of scientific practice as well as the perceived impact of those experiences. For study participants, the emotion of awe was deeply connected to the process of learning and to personal moments of discovery. Scientists described their awe experiences as contributing to shifts in their perspective or worldview, including a greater appreciation for the vastness and complexity of the universe. In addition, participants reported that awe served as an important source of motivation for their continued pursuit of the work. The findings indicate that authentic inquiry and metacognition, which we already recognize as critical pedagogical practices for encouraging scientific reasoning, are just as valuable for helping students to experience the affective dimensions of the discipline.

Enhancing resilience: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of The Awe Project

“…This perspective shift is related to awe promoting curiosity and being described as an epistemic emotion; experiencing awe can both reveal gaps in knowledge and promote learning (Gottlieb et al, 2018;Krogh-Jespersen et al, 2020;McPhetres, 2019;Cuzzolino, 2021): "[A] 5-day project that makes you realize that there is much more to this world and this universe than you could possibly imagine. "…”

“…These include nature, space, music and the arts, spiritual experiences, connectedness, and both one's own accomplishments and those of others (Graziosi & Yaden, 2019;Shiota et al, 2007;Sturm et al, 2020;. Moreover, direct experience on the part of the initiator is not required, as awe has been shown to be evoked through pictures, video, virtual and augmented reality, and narratives (Bai et al, 2017;Chen & Mongrain, 2020;Chirico et al, 2016;Chirico et al, 2017;Cuzzolino, 2021;Krenzer et al, 1018;Piff et al, 2015;Stellar et al, 2018;Rudd et al, 2012;Thompson, 2022a;Walker & Gilovich, 2020).…”

“…Cognitively, awe has been described as an epistemic emotion, meaning it can reveal gaps in one's current knowledge (Gottlieb et al, 2018;McPhetres, 2019;Cuzzolino, 2021). Awe as an epistemic emotion has also been associated with an individual's sense of curiosity to fill those gaps in knowledge (McPhetres, 2019).…”

Emotional and Cognitive Preservice Science Teachers’ Engagement While Living a Model-Based Inquiry Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Sequence About Acid-Base

“…The KPSI consists of a self-report on ten emotions: nine of them (rejection, concentration, insecurity, interest, boredom, confidence, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and bashfulness) were in a previously validated questionnaire (Jimenez-Liso et al, 2019). We also included another emotion (surprise) because surprising observations could later elicit the "aha" or awe moment, which scientists have linked to the learning process and to situations of discovery (Cuzzolino, 2021). PSTs were able to select the emotion label related to all the key moments following the sequential order of the model-inquiry sequence.…”

Awe Narratives: A Mindfulness Practice to Enhance Resilience and Wellbeing

“…Research has shown that this type of reflective practice can be effective in enhancing the wellbeing of the individual ( East et al, 2010 ; Piff et al, 2015 ; Shiota et al, 2017 ). Moreover, eliciting awe can occur not only through sharing one’s own experiences, but also through learning about the experiences of others ( Rudd et al, 2012 ; Piff et al, 2015 ; Cuzzolino, 2021 ), including when hearing about the success stories of others ( Walker and Gilovich, 2021 ).…”