UNITED STATES, September 25, 2012 (scientificamerican.com): New research by psychologists at Stanford and the University of Minnesota shows that the experience of awe can increase the sense of well-being, by giving people the perception that they have more time available–a real stress-buster in today’s hurry-hurry world.
A 2003 research paper concluded that awe is characterized by the perception of vastness; it is an experience so expansive that one’s mental schemas must be adjusted in order to process it. The new studies, described at “source,” found that the experience of awe gives people the sense that they have more time available, reduces irritability and increases their willingness to give of their time.