How animation stirs up awe
by Carly Quellman
Illustrated animation by Annie McCall. Our nonprofit generates funding in multiple ways, including through affiliate linking. When you purchase something through an affiliate link on this site, the price will be the same for you as always, but we may receive a small percentage of the cost.
I turn off the TV remote, its button slightly rubbery underneath my fingers. I had just finished watching the 2020 Disney and Pixar movie Soul and was both moved and taken aback by its overall message. I had a visceral connection to the protagonist — Joe Gardner — on a search for his soul… and life’s purpose. So, I responded as I assume most millennials born into a digital age do: I headed to Google and researched.
The science of awe
Annie McCall
I came across an article where Dacher Keltner, the director of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab and author of Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life, shares how Pete Doctor, the director of Soul, developed the movie around the science of awe. “We sense awe in our bodies in the chills, tears, and the chest-warming sense of being part of something larger than our egos. It leads us to share, collaborate, and wonder,” Keltner says. “In experiences of awe, people often speak as if they have found their soul.”
These words softened me. While awe was unable to fully express itself as chills or tears in my body, the chest-warming sense Keltner spoke of rang — and felt — true. I considered our everyday language. Words like “awful” and “awesome” both derive from the word awe, which, according to neuroscientist Dr. Hayley Nelson, is defined as “a complex emotion that arises when we encounter something vast, novel, or unexpected that challenges our existing understanding of the world.” This proves that awe isn’t solely an emotional connection to something — it can also be an overwhelming feeling in response to something, a mixture of admiration and fear. Additional research also states that awe diminishes our individual problems and concerns, and that awe can even be an indicator of the body’s inflammatory response. I wanted to better understand this (re)emerging word, both as part of our language and an emotion. Somehow, awe has the ability to create a new language of its own and change our world perspective — all at the same time.
Experiencing awe
Emotion is a part of our human identity. So when when humans experience awe — as I did watching Soul — ”brains show activation in multiple regions related to self-consciousness, cognitive control, attention, and emotion,” according to Dr. Nelson. The frontoparietal network (FPN) — regions of the brain involved in externally-directed attention — produce increased activity. This is why experiencing awe can inspire curiosity and openness to new experiences and opportunities. “Awe also reduces activity in the default mode network (DMN), which is involved in mind-wandering and self-referential thoughts,” Dr. Nelson adds. In turn, a reduced DMN makes us more focused on the present moment. Meaning: less preoccupied with ourselves and more connected to others and our environment. Happiness, gratitude, compassion, generosity, and creativity increase. And, of course, we benefit immensely in our social relationships.
Media’s portrayal of awe
Media plays such an important role in our lives for creating feeling and meaning within even a 30-second clip. But how can non-physical forms of connection provide an emotion and bodily response? Dr. Nelson explains that media can enhance awe by adding elements of surprise, humor, or creativity to the stimuli. “For example, watching a video of a majestic waterfall or a stunning galaxy can evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity,” she says. Animation and illustration can specifically elicit awe in viewers by creating immersive and realistic representations of awe-inspiring stimuli. For me, it was watching a beautifully vibrant and playful movie about the protagonist’s connection to self. Media has such a profound impact on how we see, experience, and interact with the world. It’s comforting to know that our media consumption can provide us with possibilities and new perspectives too.
Finding awe
Annie McCall
No matter how realistic experiences may seem, humans are hungry for awe(some) experiences beyond media and digital platforms. Dr. Nelson says that in the search for awe, in-person moments can be broken into two categories. One is awe-inducing situations, which include traveling to new places, exploring nature, or engaging in extreme sports. The other is everyday experiences like listening to music, reading a book, or witnessing kindness. “Awe is not something that can be created artificially, but rather something that emerges from our interaction with the world,” he says
What a gift it is that we have the ability to access the brain and produce feelings of awe, simply by interacting with experiences around us. Keltner recently shared that “if you’re looking for change, it’s a good emotion to seek.”
I wholeheartedly agree. I’m determined to consume more awe-inducing moments — both in real and created worlds — and watch as the world takes on a new shape around me.