Exciting people about science can be tough. A recent study reveals a unique way to do just that: awe. Researchers found that immersive planetarium films can spark interest in science topics by inducing feelings of awe. This means that awe might be key to making science more appealing to all.
Emotions have a big impact on how we learn and remember information. This includes what experts call epistemic emotions. For instance, curiosity can boost learning, while boredom can block it. Awe fits into this category. It’s that feeling you get when you witness something grand and mind-boggling, pushing you to rethink your place in the world. Even though awe seems important for learning science, its exact effects during the learning process were unclear—until now.
Most studies on awe have been done in labs, leading researchers to question whether these findings apply in real-life scenarios. To dive deeper, a team of researchers chose a science center planetarium as their setting. They aimed to see if the awe experienced from planetarium films could enhance learning and interest in science. Specifically, they looked at how awe would affect memory retention and enthusiasm for the film’s topics.
Oksana Kanerva, the study’s lead author and a lecturer at the University of Helsinki, shared her motivation: “The literature suggested that awe is powerful but not well-studied.”
The researchers invited 131 adults at a science center who were about to watch a planetarium film. Before the show, participants shared their prior knowledge of the topic and interest levels. At that time, three films were available: one about Earth’s climate, one on the Northern Lights, and another on stars and distant planets. Participants watched their chosen film like regular visitors.
After the film, they filled out questionnaires to evaluate their interest and emotions experienced during viewing. Specific questions measured feelings of awe, surprise, curiosity, enjoyment, confusion, anxiety, and boredom. Participants rated how connected they felt to their surroundings or if they experienced physical sensations, like goosebumps. The study also included a recognition memory task to assess how well they recalled the film’s content.
In the memory task, participants saw a mix of statements—some true to the film, some slightly altered or nonsensical. Participants then determined which statements they recalled. This helped researchers understand how awe impacted memory processes, such as detail recall versus logical inference.
The study showed that planetarium films indeed evoke feelings of awe, with varying intensity. Notably, the film on the Northern Lights generated more awe than the one about stars, possibly due to its complex information. Individuals who thought critically reported a stronger connection to their surroundings during the experience.
The findings also revealed that awe closely links to surprise. While awe had connections to curiosity and enjoyment, surprise was the most significant emotion tied to it. This hints that the unexpected elements in the films are crucial in triggering awe.
When assessing memory, higher awe levels seemed to lower accuracy in identifying errors and misunderstandings. Those feeling more awe were more likely to mistakenly affirm incorrect statements. Also, people with prior knowledge had a better grasp of spotting errors but struggled with inference recognition.
Kanerva highlighted, “People experiencing high awe were more prone to confirm false information, indicating that awe might lead to confirmation bias.” Further research could explore this connection more deeply.
The most significant takeaway was that awe improved interest. The study clearly showed that viewers who felt awe during the films were significantly more interested in the topics covered. This increase was especially notable for those who experienced high levels of awe. It suggests that awe can ignite curiosity and drive individuals to explore science subjects more.
While the study had its limits—being observational means it can show correlations but not cause-and-effect—future research could refine memory tasks and investigate how awe influences science interest over time.
The study, “Impact of awe on topic interest and recognition memory for information in planetarium films,” was co-authored by Oksana Kanerva and colleagues.
