Cultivating Awe & Emotional Connection in Daily Life | Dr. Dacher Keltner

Dr. Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley and expert in emotion science, discusses his groundbreaking research on awe and its profound impacts on human health and social connection. He explains that awe occurs when we shift our perception from small to vast scales - whether through visual vistas, music, or collective experiences. Keltner's research demonstrates that awe reduces inflammation, elevates vagal tone, and can even reduce long COVID symptoms with just a minute of daily awe experiences. The conversation explores how awe differs from the traditional focus on negative emotions in psychology research, expanding the understanding of facial expressions from six basic emotions to twenty distinct states. Keltner describes practical applications like 'awe walks' - weekly walks in surprising locations that focus on shifting from small to vast perspectives - which showed significant health benefits in elderly participants including reduced physical pain and better brain health over time. The discussion covers the role of embarrassment and teasing in social bonding, particularly among male groups, as mechanisms for establishing group norms and trust. They examine how modern technology, especially social media, often works against awe by fragmenting attention and reducing memorable shared experiences. The conversation also touches on psychedelics as potential awe-inducing tools when used appropriately, the importance of collective experiences like concerts and sports in human bonding, and the challenge of rebuilding community connections in an increasingly isolated world. Keltner emphasizes that awe is not about losing oneself but about feeling connected to something larger while remaining embodied, and suggests that designing cities and spaces for awe could significantly improve public health and social cohesion.