From Awful to Awe-Full: Easing the Discomfort of Uncertain Waiting Periods

Waiting for uncertain news is a common experience that many people find uncomfortable. People experience negative affect, anxiety, and rumination, and they employ a variety of strategies to manage this distress. Awe is a moral emotion we feel when we are confronted with something vast beyond our comprehension that requires a perspective shift in order to accommodate the new experience, and research has confirmed that awe increases both well-being and patience (Rudd, Vohs, & Aaker, 2012), making it a good candidate for an intervention to reduce the negative affect, anxiety, and rumination typically associated with difficult waiting periods. I conducted three studies to test the effect of awe on distress during uncertain waiting periods. Study 1 (N = 89) examined the relationship between trait awe and discomfort and strategy selection as participants awaited feedback on what they believed was a novel intelligence test. Building on Study 1, Studies 2 and 3 examined the effect of an awe induction, compared to positive and neutral controls, on discomfort and strategy use in two different uncertain waiting periods: In Study 2 (N = 324), participants waited for feedback on the same intelligence test used in Study 1, and in Study 3 (N = 399) participants waited for interpersonal feedback from peers after a group interaction. Across the three studies, I found partial support for a relationship between trait awe and distress and the use of uncertainty navigation strategies. Experiencing awe offered a consistent reduction in negative affect and anxiety during an uncertain waiting period but did not have a reliable effect on the strategies that people employ to manage their feelings of uncertainty. Instead, strategy selection was primarily driven by temporal proximity to feedback. Thus, awe emerged as a unique and reliable means of reducing distress during an uncertain waiting period, and these benefits were not contingent on a predisposition to experiencing awe daily life