Motivation and emotion/Book/2025/Self-transcendent emotions

Self-transcendent emotions:
What are self-transcendent emotions and how can they be cultivated?

Overview

This book chapter will focus on exploring self-transcendent emotions.

Figure 1. Transcendent emotions.
Scenario

Nathanial has started feeling more anxious due to climate change. He is worried more and more about his future and what living conditions will be like in the future. He feels increasingly saddened when he hears about animals dying and ecosystems collapsing.

One night, he heads out on his horse to get away from all the pressures. He rides up into the mountains. It's a warm summer evening. The sun has set but he knows his way well. He rides to the top of the mountain.

He enters the clearing and stops. All the stars are out. It's so clear and they are so bright. He is up so high, the stars appear all around him. As low as his waste where he sits in the saddle. He can see a huge blue halo bubble far off in the distance. He realises it's the city lights glowing like a space dome.

In that moment, he is struct by the pure majestic expanse of it all. The sheer beauty. It feels surreal. All time and space disappears, converges, expands. The moment brings Nathaniel alive, surrounds him, releases him in a way he has never experienced before. He feels free and yet connected to everything.

What makes us feel connected to something greater than ourselves?

Focus questions
  • What are self-transcendent emotions?
  • What evidence supports the underlying mechanisms of self-transcendence?
  • How can self-transcendent emotions be developed?

Self-transcendence can be a tricky concept to grasp. It has been defined as an expansion of the self, that can transcend time and space (cite). Self-transcendence is considered to be an alignment between intrinsic self values and optimal harmony with the outside world. Self-transcendence focuses on the "we," not the "me." (cite) It is outward focused and pro-socially inclined. It goes beyond Maslow's hierarchy of needs, incorporates Vicktor Frankls ideas of meaning and purpose, and can be explored

It is widely accepted that emotions play an evolutionary role in assisting human beings to adapt and thrive (Chow et al., 2022). Modern society faces multiple challenges. From every day living, to global societal and environmental impacts. By cultivating self-transcendent emotions, we can collectively enhance optimal thriving for each other and our environment. Self-transcendent emotions are at the pinnacle of positive emotions. They help to enhance the well-being of societies through pro-social attributes and behaviours that serve humanity (Li et al., 2024). They are distinct from simple feelings (Weijers & Cox, 2025).

What do you think of the word self-transcendence, do you imagine some sage words, as shown in Figure 1? Reload the photo and replace temp place holder.

    1

    Self-transcendence is outward focused:

    True
    False

    2

    Self-transcendent emotions are heightened emotions:

    True
    False



    The key explanatory documents are the:

    Theoretical construct of self-transcendence

    Intro para

    Frankl's self-transcendent model

    Maslow's hierarchy of needs

    Self-actualisation - congruence and satisfaction with the self (Reicher, 2025).

    B-value values - top items of the hierarchy of needs


    • Maslow's hierarchy of needs
    • Clayton Alderfer's Model
    • Self-transcendence theory
    • Self-determination theory
    • Expand further
    • Case study 1 - Climate anxiety of young person
    • Case study 2 - Father seeing emaciated children in Gaza on the news feeling anger
    • Case study 3 - Existential fear from dying cancer patient
    • Case study 4 - Person feeling lost looking for purpose and meaning in their life

    Emotional mechanisms connected with self-transcendence

    • Neuroplasticity
    • Different brain regions associated with different emotional states; executive network, default network
    • Physiological states that can affect emotions
    • Enlightenment; perceptually, cognitively. The state of clarity
    • Examples of some of the biggest discoveries eg. long term meditators having brains similar to much young people etc
    • Explore further

    Case Study 2:

    Transcendent emotions

    • Awe
    • Admiration
    • Gratitude
    • Inspiration
    • Wisdom
    • Higher levels of consciousness; being as apposed to having
    • Hope
    • Insight
    • Connection
    • Compassion - overcomes anger, hate, fear, revenge, cruelty, and violence.
    • Awareness
    • Purpose

    Expand further and adapt

    Practical activities to explore and experience optimal emotional states

    Expand further and adapt

    • Example of how cultivating self-transcendent emotions can lead to positive wellbeing and prosocial behaviour

    Table 1. Empathy Vs Compassion in the brain when seeing someone experiencing pain

    Empathy Compassion
    Internal/external focus Self oriented Other oriented
    Brain activation pain matrix activated motor cortex firing
    Emotional state mirrored feeling of pain motivated to act and help

    1

    Self-transcendent emotions focus on compassion verses empathy:

    True
    False

    2

    Self-transcendence is only achieved if you meditate for many years:

    True
    False


    Conclusion

    • Reiterate self-transcendence encompassing more than oneself; focused outward more than inward (the 'we, not the 'me' so much
    • Sum up the evidence supporting cultivating the emotional states that lead to self-transcendence
    • Optimal benefits to wellbeing supported by the evidence
    • end off with a few simple ways to practice
    • Suggested word count: 150 to 330 words
    • It should be possible for someone to only read the Overview and the Conclusion and still get a good idea of the problem and what is known based on psychological science

    Suggestions for this section:

    • What is the answer to the sub-title question based on psychological theory and research?
    • What are the answers to the focus questions?
    • What are the practical, take-home messages? (Even for the topic development, have a go at the likely take-home message)

    See also

    References

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    Castelo, N., White, K., & Goode, M. R. (2021). Nature promotes self-transcendence and prosocial behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 76, Article 101639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101639

    Chow, P. I., Berenbaum, H., Boden, M. T., & Flores, L. E. (2023). All for one or one for all? Examining a parsing of emotion that is informed by lay people’s values. Motivation and Emotion, 47(3), 333–346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-022-10002-1

    Clayton, R. B., Raney, A. A., Oliver, M. B., Neumann, D., Janicke-Bowles, S. H., & Dale, K. R. (2021). Feeling transcendent? Measuring psychophysiological responses to self-transcendent media content. Media Psychology, 24(3), 359–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2019.1700135

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    Gao, M., Qiu, X., & Zhu, H. (2024). The Relationship between awe and Prosocial Behavior: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2024.2433721

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