Bridging me to we: Awe is a conduit to cohesive collectives

Abstract

Experiences of awe, frequently elicited by the natural world (but also by art, music, human virtue, among other things), are profound and transformative. We argue that beyond its individual benefits, awe serves a vital social function: It expands an individual's perspective from narrow self-interest to others' needs and collective concerns. We review recent empirical evidence showcasing how awe shifts focus away from the self toward the larger entities one belongs to. These reductions in self-focus are, in turn, associated with systematic shifts in social-cognitive processes key to cohesive collective life: attentiveness to others, prosociality, conformity, and social connectedness. Given its socially-binding functions, awe may help inform solutions to pressing global challenges, including economic inequality, political polarization, and climate change.