From Awe to Compassion: Exploring Different States of Selfless Joy

Abatista and Cova conducted two large studies involving thousands of participants who either recalled emotional experiences from their lives or watched videos designed to elicit specific responses. Participants reported their emotions, bodily sensations, thoughts, and motivations. Using a statistical technique, the researchers identified three main dimensions of positive emotions.

Positive self-centred emotions, such as happiness, joy and pride, were categorised into the ‘Hedonic state’ family, which is associated with activation, relaxation, and motivation for personal enjoyment or self-enhancement.

In contrast, positive emotions that were self-transcendent formed two other distinct families. The first family, called ‘Social state’ emotions, includes compassion, tenderness, love, and ‘being moved’. These emotions are associated with tears and relaxation, witnessing outstanding moral standards, strong social connections, and meaningfulness. They typically motivate prosocial behaviour – helping and connecting with others.

The second family, named ‘Epistemic state’ emotions, includes awe, wonder, interest, and fascination. These emotions are associated with feelings of shock and relaxation, perceptions of being in the presence of something greater than oneself, and slowed time perception. They typically motivate learning and curiosity.

This research challenges the common assumption that all self-transcendent emotions serve similar psychological functions. While these emotions direct our attention beyond our immediate self-interest, they do so in two different ways: Social states connect us with other people; while Epistemic states connect us with new knowledge and the wider world.

By creating a new framework for understanding positive emotions, this research opens exciting possibilities. By using this framework, mental health professionals could harness tenderness and compassion to promote pro-social behaviour in their patients. Meanwhile, educators could foster awe and wonder in their students to enhance learning.

Through their study, Abatista and Cova have provided a valuable roadmap for exploring how different forms of selfless joy shape our connections, motivations, and personal growth.