Abstract
Both awe and envy are emotions that can result from observing a powerful other, but awe should stabilize social hierarchies while envy should undermine them. Three studies explored how the physiological reaction of goose bumps might help in understanding these distinctive reactions to powerful others, as goose bumps should be associated with awe rather than envy. In Study 1, participants kept a four-week journal and made a detailed entry each time they experienced goose bumps. Goose bumps resulting from the emotion of awe were the second most frequently occurring type after reactions to cold. Consistent with understanding awe as an emotional reaction to powerful or superior others (Keltner and Haidt in Cogn Emot 17:297–314, 2003), many of these experiences had social triggers. In Study 2, accounts of goose bumps resulting from exposure to powerful or superior others contained greater awe than envy. Also, the intensity of goose bumps was positively correlated with awe and negatively correlated with envy. In Study 3, accounts of awe contained more goose bumps than accounts of envy, and goose bumps were positively correlated with awe.
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Notes
For exploratory purposes, we also included additional items assessing other aspects of the experience. Participants could check of one or more possible causes of the goose bump reaction, including “something cold,” “music,” or “something awe-inspiring.” But many participants did not complete these items. For purposes of coding the cause of the goose bumps, coders relied solely on the written descriptions. Participants were also asked to rate the extent to which they felt each of 18 affective states, including superiority, contempt, envy, and awe. Most participants rated their experience of each emotion as 0, not experienced at all, thus no further analyses of these variables were conducted.
The definition of awe was based on Keltner and Haidt’s (2003) theoretical perspective.
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Schurtz, D.R., Blincoe, S., Smith, R.H. et al. Exploring the social aspects of goose bumps and their role in awe and envy. Motiv Emot 36, 205–217 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-011-9243-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-011-9243-8