O'Dea, Muireann and Igou, Eric and Van Tilburg, Wijnand and Kinsella, Elaine (2025) Awe and Boredom: Unravelling Dual Pathways Through Meaning in Life. European Journal of Social Psychology. DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.70000 (In Press)
O'Dea, Muireann and Igou, Eric and Van Tilburg, Wijnand and Kinsella, Elaine (2025) Awe and Boredom: Unravelling Dual Pathways Through Meaning in Life. European Journal of Social Psychology. DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.70000 (In Press)
O'Dea, Muireann and Igou, Eric and Van Tilburg, Wijnand and Kinsella, Elaine (2025) Awe and Boredom: Unravelling Dual Pathways Through Meaning in Life. European Journal of Social Psychology. DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.70000 (In Press)
Abstract
Possessing high meaning in life can prevent boredom. Recent evidence suggests that awe may increase meaning in life via vastness vis-à-vis the self (feeling connected to something bigger than the self) or decrease it through self-diminishment (feeling insignificant). Accordingly, we proposed and tested in four studies (N = 1173) that awe relates to boredom via these two competing pathways. We consistently found a negative indirect effect of awe on boredom via vastness vis-à-vis the self and meaning in life (Studies 1-3). This effect remained for threat-based awe (Study 3) and even after controlling for co-occurring emotions (Studies 2b and 3). The evidence for a positive indirect effect of awe on boredom via self- diminishment and meaning in life was present, albeit to a lesser extent. This research highlights the intricate relationship between awe and boredom, suggesting that awe can impact boredom through opposing effects on meaning in life.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Uncontrolled Keywords: | awe, boredom, meaning in life, small self |
Divisions: | Faculty of Science and Health Faculty of Science and Health > Psychology, Department of |
SWORD Depositor: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Depositing User: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Date Deposited: | 21 May 2025 16:26 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2025 23:11 |
URI: | http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/40954 |