Admire the landscape from the top of a mountain, see the infinite Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, contemplate a waterfall several meters high or relive the adventure of the first astronauts who stepped on the Moon in a projection of images and music. .. all are overwhelming visions , which can even make some of the hair stand on end. Now, a study published in the journal Psychological Science reveals that this awe also makes us more patient, more willing to help others and, if that were not enough, it makes us perceive that we have more free time.
The researchers, from Stanford University (USA), carried out different experiments in which the participants solved exercises or surveys after observing breathtaking images. The results revealed that, compared to the control individuals, the participants experienced the sensation of having more free time , something very valuable given the frenetic pace we have today. Thanks to this, these people were more patient, they preferred to live experiences before possessing more material goods, they were more satisfied with life and they also wanted to spend part of their time helping others.
The authors highlight the importance of living overwhelming experiences in daily life as a solution "to the feeling of having little time, which is a real plague in modern life," they affirm in the study.
