The neural correlates of the awe experience: Reduced default mode network activity during feelings of awe.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Exploratory within-subject laboratory fMRI neuroimaging study
PubMed 31062899 · doi:10.1002/hbm.24616
What was done
Participants completed a whole-brain fMRI scan while watching awe-eliciting, positive, and neutral videos under two distinct instructions: fully absorbing in the scenery or counting perspective changes. Self-report measures of self-perception were also collected.
What was found
Default mode network regions, including the frontal pole, angular gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex, showed increased activation during the absorption condition, but this increase was diminished when viewing awe videos. Fronto-parietal network regions, including the supramarginal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, and insula, showed greatest activation during the analytical counting condition for awe videos compared to positive and neutral controls. Participants also reported perceiving their self to be smaller. The abstract reports no numerical values, test statistics, or effect sizes.
Why it matters
The findings offer functional neuroimaging evidence that awe diminishes default mode network engagement, supporting the concept that awe suppresses self-referential processing.
Limits
The abstract does not report the sample size, participant demographics, or statistical effect estimates. Video stimuli presented in an fMRI scanner may not fully replicate real-world experiences of awe.