Creativity, Panic Attacks, and States of Awe: A Model from Nonlinear Dynamics

Zausner, Tobi

doi:10.1037/e631962011-001

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Yet, by contrast with panic, which brings the fear of obliteration, awe brings with it "an intimation of eternity" (p. 4). Such transcendent states are sought and valued across cultures and carry the potential for personal transformation (Zausner, 1998).…”

Section: Awe Infinity and The Sublimementioning

confidence: 99%

A New Aesthetic for Environmental Awareness: Chaos Theory, the Beauty of Nature, and Our Broader Humanistic Identity

Richards

2001

Journal of Humanistic Psychology

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Can beauty help us adapt, evolve, and cope with environmental crisis? This article challenges the longstanding Kantian view that beauty is “disinterested,” while linking Kant’s view of the sublime with chaos theory and the fractal forms of nature. We humans participate in beauty as open systems in ongoing process, coevolving with all of existence. Beauty offers us conscious awareness and resonance with deeper life patterns. We sense our interconnection and the “bounded infinities” of potentialities related to chaotic “strange attractors.” A study of aesthetic preference not only supports preference for the fractal forms of nature but suggests, tentatively, that creative persons prefer forms of even higher “dimensionality.” Beauty can open up our vision in an endangered world—while yielding intimacy and delight, not isolation and fear. Caring can become natural for the greater whole we all cocreate. As humanistic psychologists, we can be concerned with no less than this totality.

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Section: Awe Infinity and The Sublimementioning

confidence: 99%

A New Aesthetic for Environmental Awareness: Chaos Theory, the Beauty of Nature, and Our Broader Humanistic Identity

Richards

2001

Journal of Humanistic Psychology

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“…First, given the proper context, those with a high tolerance of ambiguity seem to readily accept paranormal explanations for ambiguous stimuli. In fact, these people may well interpret ambiguous stimuli as a source of awe, wonder, or an amusing curiosity-perhaps akin to the experiences of some artists (Zausner, 1998) or collective delusions facilitated by wish-fulfillment (Bartholomew, 1997). Second, those with a low tolerance of ambiguity appear to be initially fearful of ambiguous stimuli, and they may subsequently adopt paranormal labels to relieve this anxiety if no conventional explanations of the ambiguous stimuli are readily available.…”

Section: Mathematical Model Of Delusional Thinking Based On Studies Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Redefining Delusion Based on Studies of Subjective Paranormal Ideation

Houran

Lange

2004

Psychol Rep

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The DSM-IV definition of delusion is argued to be unsatisfactory because it does not explain the mechanism for delusion formation and maintenance, it implies that such beliefs are necessarily dysfunctional (pathological), it underestimates the social component to some delusions, and it is inconsistent with research indicating that delusions can be modified through techniques such as contradiction, confrontation, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, a well-replicated mathematical model of magical/delusional thinking based on a study of paranormal beliefs and experiences is consistent with the hypothesis that attributional processes play a central role in delusion formation and maintenance. The model suggests attributional processes serve the adaptive function of reducing fear associated with ambiguous stimuli and delusional thinking is on a continuum with nonpathological forms. Based on this collective research an amendment to the definition of delusion is proposed and its clinical implications are addressed.

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Creativity, Panic Attacks, and States of Awe: A Model from Nonlinear Dynamics

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

A New Aesthetic for Environmental Awareness: Chaos Theory, the Beauty of Nature, and Our Broader Humanistic Identity

A New Aesthetic for Environmental Awareness: Chaos Theory, the Beauty of Nature, and Our Broader Humanistic Identity

Redefining Delusion Based on Studies of Subjective Paranormal Ideation

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