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Imaginary worlds are awesome: Awe provides a key to understanding the individual and social functions of imaginary worlds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2022

Sean P. Goldy Open the ORCID record for Sean P. Goldy [Opens in a new window]  and
Paul K. Piff Open the ORCID record for Paul K. Piff [Opens in a new window]
Sean P. Goldy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USAsgoldy@uci.edu ppiff@uci.eduhttps://paulpiff.wixsite.com/meshlab
Paul K. Piff
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USAsgoldy@uci.edu ppiff@uci.eduhttps://paulpiff.wixsite.com/meshlab
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Abstract

Awe arises when one experiences something so extraordinary that it defies current understanding, prompting efforts to comprehend the initially incomprehensible. We situate awe within Dubourg and Baumard's framework for the prevalence and psychological underpinnings of imaginary worlds. We argue that imaginary worlds are powerful catalysts of awe, which, in turn, drive important individual and social outcomes.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 45 , 2022 , e284
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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