The Stars That Were Already There

The Stars That Were Already There is a cozy psychology essay about awe, presence, and what researchers call the small self, narrated for listening. Four friends drive out of the city to watch a meteor shower, arrive too early for the peak, and never make it back for the good part. What they find instead becomes the actual subject of the essay. Draws on Piff et al.'s 2015 research on awe and prosocial behavior, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Topics covered: awe psychology, the small self, meteor showers, presence, mindfulness, night sky, friendship. Listen or read the full essay at syedquests.substack.com.

References

• Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000018
• Bergland, C. (2018, September 29). Wow! One key unlocks the amazing power of awe. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201809/wow-one-key-unlocks-the-amazing-power-of-awe