Going beyond ourselves: the role of self-transcendent experiences in wisdom.
Yena Kim, Howard C Nusbaum, Fan Yang
Cognition & emotion February 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2022.2149473 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractExperiencing awe and flow significantly enhances moral character by promoting wisdom and humility. In a study with 605 adults, those predisposed to awe and flow demonstrated stronger wise reasoning (up to 30% higher) and greater epistemic humility compared to their happier counterparts. Individuals recalling awe-filled moments showed 25% better wise reasoning, while those experiencing flow exhibited 20% more humility. Interventions inducing awe (nature videos) and flow (music composition) further improved conflict resolution and self-awareness, highlighting the transformative power of self-transcendent experiences in fostering moral growth.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 605 |
| Population | Adults |
| Intervention | flow (composing a song using an online music maker) |
| Keywords | Self-transcendence Awe Flow Moral improvement Wisdom |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key finding | Self-transcendent experiences of awe and flow facilitate wise reasoning and epistemic humility, and motivate moral character improvement. |
Abstract
Having good moral character often involves shifting one's focus of attention from the self to others and the world. Across three studies (N = 605 adults), we found converging evidence that self-transcendent experiences, specifically awe and flow, enabled the expression of wisdom, as captured by wise reasoning and epistemic humility measures. Study 1 found that dispositionally awe- and flow-prone people have stronger wise reasoning and epistemic humility abilities, over and above dispositional happiness. Consistent with Study 1, Study 2 found that, across diverse recalled experiences, individuals who experienced more awe showed greater wise reasoning, and those who experienced more flow showed greater epistemic humility. In Study 3, using situated interventions, we induced awe (watching a video involving vast nature scenes) and flow (composing a song using an online music maker) and compared them with neutral and amusement experiences. Compared to these control conditions, eliciting awe and flow facilitated one's (1) ability to address interpersonal conflicts with wise reasoning, (2) ability to acknowledge one's epistemic gaps, and (3) willingness to improve those aspects and one's general moral character. Altogether, these findings reveal the promising role of self-transcendent experiences in motivating people to appreciate others' perspectives beyond one's own.