The Study of Inspiration

The Place of Inspiration in Heritage Interpretation: A Conceptual Analysis

“…The concept of inspiration has not been the focus of any inquiry within heritage interpretation, although the term is used regularly within the field. The word inspiration is also used in everyday contexts and is increasingly being investigated within the field of positive psychology, resulting in a growing body of literature (Gotz, 1998;Hart, 1993Hart, , 1998Kwall, 2006;Montuori, 2011;Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000;Simopoulos, 1948;Thrash & Elliot, 2003, 2004. Research into the synergies between the concept of inspiration as identified in the psychological literature, and the field of interpretation, could provide useful insights for interpretation in practice and the purpose of this paper is to explore these potential synergies.…”

“…The literature demonstrates that inspiration encompasses two key elements: the trigger, or what people are inspired by; and the target, or what they are inspired to do or be (Hart, 1993(Hart, , 1998Jennings, 2012;Thrash & Elliot, 2003, 2004Thrash, Elliot, et al, 2010;Thrash et al, 2014). Both manifestations of inspiration are necessary and linked (Gonzalez, Metzler, & Newton, 2011;Hart, 1993Hart, , 1998Simopoulos, 1948;Thrash & Elliot, 2003, 2004Thrash, Elliot, et al, 2010), and Jennings (2012) pointed out that both sides of inspiration are required in order to differentiate it from emotions such as awe or wonder.…”

“…Thrash and colleagues continue to advance the study of inspiration and have reported that inspiration may come from within or without, and that people may be inspired by encounters with a person, object, act, or idea (Thrash & Elliot, 2003, 2004Thrash, Elliot, et al, 2010;Thrash et al, 2014). Other researchers have added to this list, noting that internal sources of inspiration may include supernatural sources such as a deity or spirit, or ideas such as truth, beauty, or goodness (Hart, 1993;Simopoulos, 1948;Thrash & Elliot, 2003). External sources of inspiration may include other people (i.e., mentors or high-achieving role models); objects in the environment such as nature, music, or literature; or undertaking an activity such as making a fire, enjoying a cup of tea, watching a motivational video, or taking part in a physical activity (Gonzalez et al, 2011;Hart, 1993;Kwall, 2006;Thrash & Elliot, 2003, 2004.…”