The euphoric feeling of being awestruck is what we experience when we stumble upon something amazing beyond our expectations.
Scientists have studied why we become awestruck and concluded that we may have evolved this emotion to ensure our ongoing survival by providing a biological advantage over other animals.
Anything unusual or magnificent can strike us with intense feelings and emotions. It makes us wonder about things with a curiosity that encourages us to investigate further.
Think about the last time you stared up at the night sky, observing all the stars. Have you felt that euphoric feeling of awe as you thought about the vastness of the Universe? What emotions did you experience?
We may be amazed, astonished, shocked, stunned, surprised, or stupefied by any of the following:
Psychologists question the purpose of awe. Have humans evolved to have this feeling for some particular reason? Is it only an emotion known to humans and not a feeling that other animals require?
Research at Washington University in St. Louis has concluded that simple everyday experiences of awe can positively affect our well-being, such as noticing the beauty of nature or catching a rainbow.1
Unlike other animals, human beings have the capacity to be in awe and experience wonderment when we observe awesome events. Other animals are oblivious to things like that.
A study by the American Psychological Association determined that the feeling of awe makes one feel smaller and humbler in relation to the world we live in. That could cause people to be more inclined to share with others and develop a meaningful society.2
Other animals also function on a social level to ensure the species’ ongoing survival. However, that might be more of an instinct. For humans, it’s a biological advantage that helps with survival.
As humans have evolved, fear has made us avoid dangerous situations to ensure our continued evolution.
Anger has also been linked to evolution. It’s an emotion that gives one the strength to fight or the need to escape from a troubling situation.
A 2012 study at Stanford University found that the feeling of awe is clinically good for us. The study concluded that it expands our perception of time, increases compassion and empathy, and leaves us with a feeling of well-being.3
Besides just having the pleasure of these wonderful experiences, the ability to feel awe brings on something else: The desire to research and find answers to puzzling questions. The euphoric sense of awe may have developed through human evolution to give us the ability to conquer the world.
According to an article in the Smithsonian, the experience of being awestruck is unique to humans. It helps us conquer the planet. Jason Silva explains that awe evolved to give us the desire to do things that lead to more productivity and many technological advancements.4
On the other hand, the feeling of being awestruck is not a necessary trait for other animals. They generally survive on instincts.
Many great scientists have felt the ecstatic feeling of awe. That may have been the driving force that kept them inspired to continue their research despite numerous failures.
Sir Isaac Newton (who lived from 1642 to 1727) was awestruck when he discovered the power of mathematical physics.
Landing the Discovery Rover on Mars required the use of mathematical physics. Without it, we couldn’t do what we do today in the field of science, artificial intelligence, or even simulating real life with animation in movies.
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) studied mathematical physics in Russia and used it to analyze phenomena in space and time. He was awed by the calculation that it takes about two hundred million years for our sun and our entire solar system to revolve around our Milky Way galaxy.5
An awesome feeling can have two extremes, from glee to dread. In the late 16th century, to be “filled with awe” represented the extreme feeling of surprise and envy.
It was derived from an Old English word, “egeful,” which meant “dreadful” in modern English.6
Mind-blowing feelings of astonishment can result from intelligence or innocence. They can even be due to observing stupidity.
Intelligence: Were you ever struck with awe by something incredibly profound from a technical or scientific point of view? Then, due to your intelligence, you could understand it enough to be awed by the experience.
Innocence: The feeling of awe has a quality of innocence to it, too. We see that babies display signs of wonder with almost everything they observe because it’s all new to them.
Stupidity: On the other hand, were you ever stunned by something stupid someone said or the ridiculous way they behaved? Were you awed by it? That’s the other extreme.
Not everyone experiences awe. I’ve noticed that some people are oblivious to awesome events.
Once, when I was hiking with some friends, I noticed a cloud shaped like a dog drifting across the sky. I pointed it out to someone, and he said he didn’t know what I was talking about. “That’s a cloud, not a dog!” he replied.
The most common venue for awe is when we pay attention to details in nature and are mindful of the experience.7
Some people are not aware of their surroundings. Nothing strikes them with awe. How sad is that? Those who are open-minded and seek new discoveries have a life filled with much more pleasurable experiences.
However, as we age, it requires much more intensity to have the same strong feelings. That is because nothing is new to us anymore. We have gotten so used to everything already that very few things are bewildering anymore.
As we age, we need more profound discoveries to bring on that feeling of awe. But that is what keeps us alive and willing to see more of what the future holds.
You’ll know when you experience awe because you’ll find yourself saying, “Wow!”
Anything that elicits a “wow” response will continue to influence our growth, with the desire to seek more out of life. It gives us a reason to explore new experiences, build new dreams, and probe beyond our horizons.
Only humans do that, which is why the psychological effects of feeling awe have become a way for us to advance beyond our dreams. And even conquer the world!
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