How many universal emotions are there, according to modern research?

Initially, Paul Ekman identified six universal facial expressions (anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, and joy/smile). However, newer computational research by Alan Cowen and others suggests there are closer to 20 distinct facial expressions, including awe, laughter, love, compassion, embarrassment, shame, and pain, with a 50-60% hardwired component.

What is the relationship between emotion, movement (motor patterns), and language?

Emotion is expressed through motor patterns (like facial muscles and body movements) and language, but these are often disconnected. While motor patterns are highly reliable and part of our evolutionary history, language allows for conceptualization but doesn't fully capture the complex, embodied feeling of an emotion. Cultures and individual authenticity can influence how these components align.

How can one intentionally cultivate awe in daily life, like through an 'awe walk'?

An 'awe walk' involves slowing down, deepening your breathing, and actively shifting your perception from small details to vast patterns in your environment. This practice, done once a week, can lead to increased awareness, kindness, more frequent awe, and even reduced physical pain and better brain health by engaging childlike wonder and expanding consciousness.

Is awe about forgetting oneself or connecting to a larger whole?

While sometimes misunderstood as self-forgetting, awe is fundamentally an embodied experience that tethers an individual to a larger picture. It involves connecting one's personal experience through time and space to vast concepts like evolution, nature, or a collective, fostering a sense of being part of something immense.

How does music contribute to experiencing awe and collective consciousness?

Music is a powerful pathway to awe and collective consciousness. It can synchronize brain patterns and heart rates within milliseconds, bonding people through shared emotional experiences at concerts and sporting events. This 'tonal language of emotion' connects individuals to shared humanity, culture, and deep personal memories, fostering a profound sense of unity.

What role does teasing and embarrassment play in social bonding among males?

Benevolent teasing among male friends, especially within groups, serves to provoke individuals to demonstrate commitment to group norms. Embarrassment, signaled by blushing, indicates that a person cares about the group's rules and their standing within it. This process, when playful and not humiliating, can strengthen bonds and build trust, showing that they 'have each other's back.'

What are the enemies or inhibitors of awe?

The main inhibitors of awe are 'meanness' or excessive self-focus (narcissism) and certain aspects of online life. Cocaine is cited as an example of a 'me drug' that shifts focus inward, countering the collective spirit. Social media, when algorithmically designed to privilege hate and create fragmentation, also deprives people of awe by fostering anxiety and self-obsession, hindering sharing and collective experiences.

How can social media be redesigned to foster awe and community, rather than inhibit it?

Social media currently often acts as an antithesis to awe, due to its small aperture, rapid pace, fragmentation, and focus on micro-interactions. Redesign could involve leveraging AI and platforms to enable true sharing of experiences, promote awareness of vast systems, and bring people together in meaningful, memorable ways, similar to how music or farmers markets foster genuine community.

How can cities be designed to promote more awe and collective well-being?

Cities can be redesigned by incorporating more nature, public art, and opportunities for face-to-face interaction. This includes creating green spaces, promoting collective activities like outdoor yoga or communal walks, and encouraging exposure to 'moral beauty' and wisdom. These intentional design choices can combat loneliness and foster a shared sense of humanity.

What are the scientific and cultural benefits of campfires?

Campfires, used by humans for hundreds of thousands of years, are deep ideas for community building. They are gathering points in small-scale societies for storytelling, connecting people, and fostering a sense of shared humanity. Beyond social benefits, campfires also provide long-wavelength red light exposure, which is beneficial for mitochondrial function.

What is Dr. Keltner's view on life after death?

Dr. Keltner believes in life after death, influenced by a profound, transcendent experience after his brother's passing. While acknowledging his scientific background, he senses a reality beyond the three-dimensional Newtonian world, suggesting consciousness might involve patterns of electromagnetic waves that transcend the physical brain.

Key Moments

Cultivating Awe & Emotional Connection in Daily Life | Dr. Dacher Keltner

Andrew Huberman

Science & Technology7 min read141 min video

Apr 6, 2026|14,844 views|536|80

andrew huberman huberman lab podcast huberman podcast dr. andrew huberman neuroscience huberman lab andrew huberman podcast the huberman lab podcast science podcast

Save to Pod

Key Moments

On this page

TL;DR

Awe can reduce long COVID symptoms in minutes a day, but its profound effects on self-perception and collective bonding are only beginning to be understood, requiring intentional design to integrate it into our tech-dominated lives.

Key Insights

Just one minute of daily awe has been shown to reduce long COVID symptoms.

AI is now used to analyze facial expressions, revealing 20 distinct emotional states and finding 50-60% of expression to be hardwired across 144 cultures.

The 'small to vast' perceptual shift, observed in experiencing horizons or giant trees, is a fundamental mechanism of awe that can reduce pain and improve brain health in older adults.

Embarrassment, particularly among men, can be a sign of commitment to a collective, strengthening bonds when used playfully to reinforce group norms.

A survey of 2600 people across 26 countries found no instances of awe being experienced through social media platforms like Meta, Facebook, or Instagram.

Social connection, such as through community events like farmers markets, can increase life expectancy by up to 10 years.

Awe as a potent therapeutic tool for physical and mental well-being

Dr. Dacher Keltner highlights that awe, far from being an elusive mystical experience, is a measurable emotion with tangible health benefits. A striking finding is its efficacy in alleviating symptoms of long COVID; just one minute of experiencing awe daily has demonstrated a reduction in these persistent symptoms. This suggests a significant potential for awe to be integrated into medical prescriptions, alongside nature and music, as a means of healing. Beyond physical ailments, awe demonstrates profound effects on our mental state, reducing inflammation and elevating vagal tone, which are crucial indicators of physiological balance and resilience. The science of emotions is expanding beyond the traditional six basic emotions, with advancements in AI and computational analysis of facial expressions revealing a richer tapestry of human emotional experience, including states like awe, compassion, and embarrassment. This nuanced understanding of emotions, viewed through physiological and brain patterns, is reshaping how we approach mental and physical health.

The mechanics and triggers of awe: from visual perception to collective experience

Awe is fundamentally triggered by shifts in perception, moving from a narrow focus to a vast perspective, or vice versa. This 'small to vast' transition is evident in experiences like seeing a new horizon, encountering giant trees, or observing astronomical phenomena. Neuroscientifically, this shift can lead to a widening of the visual field and a calming of the sympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation. Dr. Keltner’s research has documented awe in diverse settings, from natural landscapes like Yosemite to museums and even paleontological exhibits, where the sheer scale of a T-Rex skeleton can evoke feelings of being 'small and quiet, but part of something really large.' This transformative power of shifting perspective, even through simple daily practices like an 'awe walk' – slowing down, appreciating details in nature, and noticing patterns – has been shown to reduce physical pain and improve brain health in older adults over an eight-week period. The transition from confinement to openness is a key element, suggesting that the intentional cultivation of this perceptual shift is a powerful tool for enhancing well-being.

Emotions, motor patterns, and language: a complex triad

The expression and experience of emotion involve a complex interplay between subjective feeling, motor patterns (facial expressions, body language), and language. While historically, research focused on a limited set of universal facial expressions, new studies utilizing AI have expanded this to around 20 distinct expressions, with 50-60% found to be hardwired across cultures. The relationship between these three components is not always synchronous; cultural norms and individual differences can lead to a disconnect between how an emotion is felt, expressed physically, and communicated verbally. Dr. Keltner emphasizes that the subjective feeling or 'the feeling of something' remains a frontier in emotion science, intricately woven with motor and linguistic expressions. Understanding this triad is crucial for a complete picture of emotional experience, highlighting how our embodied responses and our capacity for language shape our inner world and our interactions with others.

Awe as a catalyst for social bonding and collective experience

Awe plays a critical role in fostering social connection and collective identity. Experiences like communal singing, dancing, or attending sporting events, which create 'collective effervescence,' can synchronize people physiologically and neurologically. This shared emotional and perceptual experience can forge powerful bonds, even among strangers, creating a sense of belonging and shared humanity. Teasing, particularly among men, can serve as a form of social bonding when done playfully within established norms, signaling commitment to the group and reinforcing shared values. Conversely, excessive self-focus and the 'me-centric' nature of some digital platforms are identified as inhibitors of awe and social connection. The science of awe underscores humanity's need for shared experiences to counteract isolation and build stronger communities. This communal aspect of awe is vital for individual and societal well-being, offering a pathway to transcendence and a deeper sense of connection to something larger than oneself.

The role of music and shared experiences in evoking awe

Music is a particularly potent trigger for awe, deeply influencing our sense of time and identity. Musicians describe the experience of moving from the focused, micro-level practice of playing an instrument to the vastness of performing for an audience, feeling connected to history and a larger movement. This connection can be intensely emotional, bringing tears and goosebumps. Similarly, shared experiences like attending concerts, sporting events, or even participating in rituals like Japanese onsen, tap into this powerful collective dimension of awe. The feeling of being part of something bigger, whether it's a musical subculture, a sports team, or a community ritual, provides a sense of belonging and enhances individual well-being. These shared moments, where individual experiences coalesce into a collective emotional resonance, are fundamental to human connection and are powerful antidotes to isolation.

Inhibitors of awe and the challenge of digital life

Several factors can inhibit the experience of awe, most notably excessive self-focus and the pervasive nature of digital technology. The current landscape of social media often prioritizes individual experiences and can lead to 'rage baiting' or 'numbing out,' offering fragmented sensory input without lasting memorable experiences, which is the antithesis of awe. Research indicates that social media platforms are not sources of awe; instead, they can contribute to anxiety and depersonalization. The shift from shared physical experiences like attending movies together to individual streaming services, and the asynchronous nature of digital communication, degrades vital social connections and opportunities for shared awe. Furthermore, the 'me-centric' culture, amplified by the digital age and certain substance use patterns like cocaine, actively counteracts awe by focusing attention inward rather than outward towards larger systems and collective experiences.

Cultivating awe through intentional design and community

To counteract the inhibitors of awe, intentional design is crucial in both urban environments and social structures. Creating 'cities of awe' can involve integrating nature, public art, opportunities for face-to-face interaction, and collective activities like synchronized walks or yoga in public spaces. The resurgence of farmers markets, fitness communities, and shared rituals highlights a growing human need for connection that technology has, in some ways, undermined. The science of community reveals that social connection is a powerful determinant of health and longevity, potentially offering greater benefits than specialized physical training. The challenge for social media and technological platforms is to redesign themselves to foster genuine sharing and connection rather than isolation. This requires a conscious effort to prioritize shared experiences, community building, and meaningful engagement, drawing lessons from both ancient traditions and modern community-building initiatives like campfires, which facilitate storytelling, music, and genuine human connection.

Psychedelics, campfires, and the future of awe and connection

Classic psychedelics, when used responsibly and in guided settings, can be powerful tools for inducing awe by dissolving the sense of self and fostering connection to broader ecosystems and humanity. They have shown promise in treating difficult mental health issues like addiction, trauma, and depression. However, casual or recreational microdosing often lacks evidence of benefit and carries risks. Beyond controlled substances, ancient practices like gathering around campfires offer a profound, accessible pathway to awe and connection. These gatherings facilitate storytelling, music, and shared human experience, fostering a sense of collective belonging and mutual support. Both Dacher Keltner and Andrew Huberman express belief in aspects of consciousness beyond our current scientific understanding, finding awe in moments of profound connection and transcendence. The path forward involves intentionally designing environments and experiences that promote awe, community, and a renewed sense of shared humanity, leveraging both ancient wisdom and modern understanding to combat isolation and foster well-being.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Awe is a powerful emotion that makes us feel small within a vast context, leading to physical lift and often producing goosebumps. Scientific studies show that experiencing awe can reduce inflammation, elevate vagal tone, and alleviate long COVID symptoms, and also reduce physical pain and improve brain health in older adults.

Topics

Neuroscience & the Brain Mindset & Self-Improvement Community Building Social Bonding Psychedelic Experience Collective Consciousness Mindfulness Practices Facial Expressions Emotion Science Psychology Of Teasing

Mentioned in this video

People

Dacher Keltner

Professor of psychology and co-director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, an expert in the science of emotions and awe.

Andrew Huberman

Professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine and host of the Huberman Lab podcast.

Paul Ekman

A pioneer in the science of emotion, who initially focused on negative emotions and later advised Dr. Keltner to study awe.

Charles Darwin

His work on emotional expression in humans and animals is a foundational tool for emotion science, particularly on concepts like facial expressions and blushing.

Jim Russell

Contested Paul Ekman's strong universality of facial expressions, contributing to debates in the field.

Lisa Feldman Barrett

Contested Paul Ekman's strong universality of facial expressions, contributing to debates in the field.

Alan Cowen

A computational genius and former grad student at Berkeley who used AI with Google engineers to code facial expressions from millions of videos across cultures.

Michael Pollan

His new book on consciousness is mentioned in the context of the feeling of emotion and later as a friend who wrote about psychedelics.

Alex Grey

Psychedelic artist whose paintings depict neurophysiology synchronizing in love, serving as an interesting image for emotional states.

Frank Sulloway

A Darwin scholar who collaborated with Dr. Keltner on annotating Darwin's writings about human emotion.

Stacy Bear

A veteran and awe pioneer who collaborated with Dr. Keltner on studies involving veterans rafting down the American River, finding awe in nature.

Shaquille O'Neal

Used hypothetically as an example of a figure whose imposing physical presence could evoke awe.

Yumi Kendall

Cellist for the Philadelphia Symphony, who described experiencing awe during performances by connecting to the vastness of the music and history.

Virginia Sturm

Researcher at UC San Francisco whose study showed that awe walks for elderly individuals led to less physical pain and better brain health.

Matias Tonopovski

Former Berkeley member and music director for the Philadelphia Symphony, emphasizing that music's awe-inspiring quality is about its effect on our sense of time.

Jane Goodall

Her observations on chimpanzees experiencing awe around vast nature, particularly waterfalls, are cited as evidence of non-human awe.

Frans de Waal

Great primatologist, now deceased, who alerted Dr. Keltner to Jane Goodall's writings on chimpanzees and awe.

Taylor Swift

Her concerts are cited as an example of music creating immediate bonding and collective effervescence among fans.

Jonathan Haidt

Co-author with Dr. Keltner on early work about awe, emphasizing its role in fostering collective identity and cooperation.

Emile Durkheim

Sociologist who coined the term 'collective effervescence,' which is used to describe the shared sense of excitement and unity in group experiences like concerts.

Cat Stevens

Musician mentioned as an influence in Huberman's sister's music taste during his formative years.

Jim Thiebaud

A well-known figure in the skateboard community, described as 'the dean of skateboarding,' who influenced Andrew Huberman with his first black coffee and journaling.

Tim Armstrong

Frontman of Rancid, good friend of Andrew Huberman, and producer for Joe Strummer's Mescaleros, who inspired Huberman to listen to The Grateful Dead.

Timothy Chalamet

Actor who portrayed Bob Dylan in a recent film, which caused Dr. Keltner to cry.

Ted Nugent

Musician whose music Keltner listened to as a teenager in the foothills of the Sierra.

Martin Scorsese

Director of 'Raging Bull,' mentioned by Keltner as his favorite movie director.

Tommy Guerrero

Good friend of Jim Thiebaud, mentioned in the context of Jim's influence in skateboarding.

Sam Sheridan

Author of 'A Fighter's Heart,' which explores martial arts and describes fighting as a primitive, non-language bonding experience.

Johnny Cash

Musician, with whom Joe Strummer sang songs, produced by Rick Rubin.

Bob Knight

Researcher at Berkeley who studied orbital frontal patients and their lack of embarrassment after brain trauma.

John Cacioppo

Pioneer in the science of loneliness and isolation, whose work highlighted the fragmentation of society.

Joe Strummer

Iconic frontman of The Clash, described as a moral hero by Andrew Huberman for his lyrics, intonation, and authentic delivery.

Frank Zappa

Musician mentioned as part of the rich music scene in Laurel Canyon during Dr. Keltner's childhood.

Charlize Theron

Actress who starred in the movie 'Monster,' written by Sam Sheridan's wife.

Jake LaMotta

Boxer depicted in 'Raging Bull,' embodying epic battles and a profound connection with his rival.

Chris McCurdy

Runs a lab in Florida that studies kratom and other plant compounds, relevant to the discussion on plant alkaloids and pharmacology.

Toby Morse

Good friend of Andrew Huberman, present at a pivotal Rancid/Sick of It All show in Santa Barbara.

Bob Dylan

Musician mentioned as passing through Laurel Canyon during Dr. Keltner's childhood and later referenced for his lyrical ability.

Rick Rubin

Music producer, a close friend of Andrew Huberman, who produced Joe Strummer's songs with Johnny Cash and provided insights into Strummer's moral beauty.

Steve Kerr

Coach of the Golden State Warriors, described as a 'righteous guy' and 'person of truth,' who experiences awe when seeing 10,000 fans dancing due to his coaching.

Susan Langer

Philosopher who articulated that music is a tonal language of emotion and identity, and awe in music connects listeners to what they care about.

William James

Philosopher who focused on the body and physiology in emotion, and noted that 'words are tattered fragments' for describing transcendent experiences.

Jean Twenge

Her longitudinal data is cited as evidence of society becoming more self-focused and narcissistic.

Lex Fridman

Friend of Andrew Huberman, known for emphasizing the loyalty component in friendships.

Jim Morrison

Musician, frontman of The Doors, mentioned as living in Laurel Canyon during Dr. Keltner's childhood.

Sugar Ray Robinson

Boxer depicted in 'Raging Bull,' embodying epic battles and a profound connection with his rival.

Jocko Willink

Former Navy SEAL team operator and friend of Andrew Huberman, who shared insights on healthy masculine friendship and the role of teasing.

Robert Putnam

Writer whose work on the breakdown of collective life and shared experiences influenced Dr. Keltner's focus on community.

Jim Jarmusch

Famous friend of Joe Strummer, who participated in his Manhattan campfires.

Iggy Pop

Musician described as one of Keltner's moral heroes, known for practicing Qigong.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of our great writers of awe, who described awe as a moment in nature where 'all mean egotism vanishes'.

Mark Zuckerberg

Original statement about Facebook was 'open and connected,' but Dr. Keltner believes Facebook failed in that aspect.

Erving Goffman

Great sociologist who wrote extensively about embarrassment, noting its role in signaling commitment to social rules.

Vivek Murthy

Former US Surgeon General who recognized the 'epidemic of loneliness' and the social dimensions of health.

Organizations

Greater Good Science Center

Co-directed by Dr. Keltner at the University of California, Berkeley, focusing on science of emotions and their role in social dynamics.

Make-A-Wish Foundation

Mentioned in the context of children experiencing awe through their wishes, highlighting the profound emotional impact of fulfilling extraordinary desires.

Philadelphia Symphony

Orchestra where Yumi Kendall is a cellist, offering an example of collective awe through music.

UC San Francisco

Institution where Virginia Sturm conducted research on awe walks and brain health.

Seattle Seahawks

Professional football team mentioned as evoking a strong sense of collective awe and connection among its super fans, particularly during championship wins.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Professional football team whose fans are described as behaving like a religion due to their rituals, collective identity, and shared spiritual moments.

Sierra Club

Organization involved in research with Stacy Bearer, getting veterans out on rivers to experience awe in nature.

Esalen Institute

Historic place for meditation and breathwork, mentioned as having played a role in shifting world politics and peace.

Companies

Google

Dr. Keltner advised at Google, similar to Facebook, Pinterest, and Apple, indicating involvement in technology platforms.

Juve

Sponsor of the podcast that makes medical-grade red light therapy devices, clinically proven to improve cellular and organ health through specific wavelengths of red, near-infrared, and infrared light.

Helix Sleep

Sponsor of the podcast that makes customized mattresses and pillows based on individual sleep needs, with a two-minute quiz to match users to ideal products.

TrueMed

Partnered with Helix to allow customers to use HSA/FSA dollars for purchasing Helix mattresses.

Pixar

Animation studio mentioned in the context of Pete Doctor's work on creating awe in children's films.

Lookout Records

Record label that released Crimp Shrine and early Green Day music.

Golden State Warriors

NBA team coached by Steve Kerr, mentioned in the context of the collective awe and dancing among their fans.