“Awe”some is good!

The BBC has decided to talk about awe, something applied psychologists have been fascinated with for years.

David Robson, on January 2, 2022  (“Awe:  The ‘Little Earthquake’ That Could Free Your Mind,” https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220103-awe-the-little-earthquake-that-could-free-your-mind) talks to the general public about being awed.

The advantages of being awed and how to awe people is covered in this article (and also search in the search bar top right for “awe”).  There are lots of ways that design can lead to awe: We’re awed by exquisite skill in use of materials and design for example, as well as wonder inducing nature scenes, seen as images or in the flesh—so awe is within all of our reach.

Robson shares that “feelings of awe can have a truly profound influence on the mind – enhancing our memory and creativity as well as inspiring us to act more altruistically to the people around us. It can also have a profound impact on our mental health, by allowing us to put our anxieties into perspective. Because most of us only experience awe sporadically, we remain unaware of its benefits. When we’re feeling down, we may be more likely to look for light relief in a comedy, for instance – seeking feelings of amusement that are not nearly so powerful. Yet generating awe can trigger a great mental shift, making it a potentially essential tool to improve our health and wellbeing.”  Robson also reports that we’re also more altruistic after we’re awed.