Wonder (emotion)

Wonder or amazement is an emotional state in response to the experience of something unexpected, does not meet the expectations or schemas.

It is accompanied by a neurobiological state of arousal, an inner restlessness state, the motivating effect, so far to explore the unknown and learn. The provided excitation potential allows to restore the inner balance that was lost by the confrontation with the " inappropriate " new. This corresponds to the amazement as the trigger for a " conflict by surprise," according to Berlyne ( 1960). Amazement is akin to curiosity.

By wonder -initiated learning is thus intrinsically motivated from the inside out / because man strives for inner balance.

Surprise is often expressed by Symptominterjektionen.

Philosophy

Aristotle sees in amazement (Greek θαυμάζειν " thaumazein " ) the beginning of philosophizing, which places a strong emphasis on the wonder. The philosophy recognizes things critical thinking, which initially appear as self-evident. Certainties are referred to as " mere opinion " (doxa ). On closer questioning of certainties is amazing, previously unconsidered, new truths show ( aletheia ).

For Plato, the amazement of the beginning of all philosophy was:

" Μάλα γὰρ φιλοσόφου τοῦτο τὸ πάθος, τὸ θαυμάζειν: οὐ γὰρ ἄλλη ἀρχὴ φιλοσοφίας ἢ αὕτη. - The surprise is the attitude of a man who loves wisdom truly, yes there is no other beginning of philosophy than this. "

The dissonance between mere opinion and new truth promotes the pursuit of knowledge. By the philosophical astonishment questions the hitherto little thoughtful things, it advances the science. Amazement generates an internal movement and tension, which leads into an active independent way of dealing with one thing ( Aristotle, Schreier, Schiefele ). The curiosity is stimulated. This unexpected is to be understood to be made to something known and internalized. In this way, amazement on an issue and generate the motivation to learn something new.

Psychology

The Italian figure psychologist Giuseppe Galli ( University of Macerata ) is one of the wonder of the social virtues: they are each characterized by a specific structure of the relationship field. The ego comes back in amazement, the perceived object can come in its uniqueness for its own sake to bear without being recognized.

Shaping

The kind of wonder may be colored differently depending on whether the unexpected, perplexing causes more of a " faithful " or an " infidel " amazement. Accordingly, it is accompanied by various emotions such as admiration, respect, admiration or surprise, confusion, Suspicion.

If an unexpected event a very sudden, the person responds with " astonishment " and in an intensified form with fright.