Wonder (emotion)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Wonder is an emotion comparable to surprise in that it is most commonly felt when perceiving something rare or unexpected. Unlike surprise however, it is more definitely positive in valence and can endure for longer periods. It has also been specifically linked with curiosity and the drive for scientific investigation.[1]
Descartes described wonder as one of the primary emotions because he claimed that emotions in general are reactions to unexpected phenomena.
Wonder is also compared to the emotion of awe.[2]
Bibliography
Philip Fisher, Wonder, The Rainbow, and the Aesthetics of Rare Experiences (London: Havard University Press, 1999)
Keltner, D., & Haidt, J . (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17, 297-314.
Haidt, J. & Keltner, D . (2004). Appreciation of beauty and excellence. In C. Peterson and M. E. P. Seligman (Eds.) Character strengths and virtues. Washington DC: American Psychological Association Press. pp. 537-551.