Awe is an emotion comparable to wonder[1] but less joyous. On Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions[2] awe is modeled as a combination of surprise and fear.
One dictionary definition is "an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like: [e.g.] in awe of God; in awe of great political figures."[3] Another dictionary definition is a "mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might: [e.g.] We felt awe when contemplating the works of Bach. The observers were in awe of the destructive power of the new weapon."[4][verification needed]
In general, awe is directed at objects considered to be more powerful than the subject, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Grand Canyon, the vastness of the cosmos, or a deity.[5]
- ^ Keltner, Dacher; Haidt, Jonathan (2003). "Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion" (PDF). Cognition and Emotion. 17 (2). Informa UK Limited: 297–314. doi:10.1080/02699930302297. ISSN 0269-9931. PMID 29715721. S2CID 1101237. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-10.
- ^ Plutchik, R. "The Nature of Emotions". American Scientist. Archived from the original on July 16, 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ "Awe". Reference.com.
- ^ "Awe". TheFreeDictionary.com.
- ^
- Russell, James A. (30 October 2017). Pleasure. Psychology Press. ISBN 9781841699363. Retrieved 30 October 2017 – via Google Books.
- Greidanus, Sidney (3 May 2010). Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes: Foundations for Expository Sermons. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 9780802865359. Retrieved 30 October 2017 – via Google Books.