Basic Human Values and the Transformative Effects of Awe

Awe is a profound emotion that increases inspiration (Dai & Jiang, 2023) and self-transcendence (Jiang & Sedikides, 2021), while motivating authentic-self pursuit (Jiang & Sedikides, 2021). Such effects could arise because experiences of awe remind people of basic human values. In their seminal paper, Keltner and Haidt (2003; p.312) conjectured that awe has the potential to “transform people and reorient their (…) values.” Surprisingly, however, little research has explored the potential effects of awe on values. A few existing studies have sought to change value importance through transitory awe experiences, but subtle situational cues are unlikely to elicit more than fleeting changes in value importance.

Rather than focus on the effect of awe on value importance, the present research tested whether awe impacts the extent to which people are reminded of certain values over others. Across four experiments, we tested whether experiences of awe reminded people of specific values, and whether the salience of values, in turn, predicts greater inspiration, self-transcendence, and authentic-self pursuit. Consistent with this perspective, a meta-analysis of data across the four experiments (Ntotal = 1,440) revealed that experiences of awe (vs. control) reminded people of universalism, stimulation, humility, achievement, and hedonism values, and reminded people less of conformity values. Salience of specific values, in turn, mediated the effect of awe on the inspiration to act according to these values, and on self-transcendence and authentic-self pursuit. Lastly, a meta-analysis across Experiment 3 and 4 (Ntotal = 477) demonstrated that experiences of awe from nature reminded people of somewhat different values than experiences of awe from other people did. These findings advance understanding of the mechanisms behind the transformative effects of awe by showing how awe reminds people of different values that they consider to be important, enabling these values to draw attention and inspire authentic-self pursuit.