Awe Psychology (WONDER) with Dr. Dacher Keltner
Awe?! You can study this? You can, and it turns out it’s really important for our mental health. Dr. Dacher Keltner, the legendary UC Berkeley psychology professor, author, and founding director of the Greater Good Science Center, lent us some time to chat about his research into what makes us feel awe, and how that sense of vastness can make our lives and relationships richer. From spending some time under starry skies, to walking past ancient ruins, to listening to a favorite song, these big and little moments can help us feel smaller in the best way. Also: hop into a mosh pit.
Listen via Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Ad-free episodes available by subscribing to SiriusXM Podcasts+. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Visit Dr. Keltner’s website
Buy his book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, on Bookshop.org or Amazon
Listen to his series, Cities of Awe, on the Science of Happiness podcast
A donation went to the Bay Area Freedom Collective
Links to things we discussed:
Dr. Dacher Keltner’s ResearchGate
Time, Vastness, and Belonging: Outcomes from a Teen Dark-Sky Curriculum Pilot in Colorado
Skyward: Recalibrating Life Under the Stars
Default mode network can support the level of detail in experience during active task states
Jake Chaffee’s “Songs From Home”
Other episodes you may enjoy:
Awesomeology (GRATITUDE FOR LITTLE THINGS)
Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS)
Psychedeliology (HALLUCINOGENS)
FIELD TRIP: I Chase the 2024 Eclipse with Umbraphiles
FIELD TRIP: How to Change Your Life via the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Ologies info:
400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky
Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
