A tale of self-transcendence: awe fosters optimism

Awe, a self-transcendent emotion, fosters optimism by promoting a sense of self-transcendence. Four experiments showed that experiencing awe boosted optimism more than amusement, and that this effect was driven by self-transcendence rather than feelings of self-smallness. The findings suggest that cultivating awe can enhance optimism through self-transcendence.

Study at a glance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Optimism, a positive mindset towards the future, serves various adaptive functions. While its significance has been acknowledged in the literature, the role of self-transcendence in fostering optimism remains underexplored. The present research contributes to the literature by demonstrating that awe, a typical self-transcendent emotion, fosters optimism through self-transcendence. We tested the proposition in four studies. In Study 1, we manipulated awe and found that awe boosted optimism. In Study 2, we compared the effect of awe with amusement on optimism, ruling out alternative explanations such as awe being merely a positive emotion or related to nature exposure. In Study 3, we tested the mediating effect of self-transcendence and excluded the potential mediating role of self-smallness. In Study 4, we manipulated self-transcendence and measured optimism to test the causal effect of self-transcendence on optimism. These findings offer new insights into cultivating optimism and highlight the importance of self-transcendence in this process.