Inspiring Awe in Immersive Nature Tourism Experiences

Abstract

Awe is a multidimensional emotional experience that has the potential to adjust one's beliefs and schema. Vastness is the core cognitive appraisal required to elicit awe. An appraisal of vastness can challenge an individual's present frame of reference. The cognitive process, need for accommodation, can be activated by the appraisal of vastness. Both an appraisal of vastness and the need for cognitive accommodation are essential to experiencing awe. This chapter presents an overview of the rapidly emerging research on awe through a cognitive appraisal lens. It highlights the importance of immersive experiences and nature contexts within tourism, illustrated by examining immersive, marine tourism activities on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. The case study discusses tourists' experiences of engaging scuba diving, swimming with whales, whale watching, and the elicitation and experience of awe and associated cognition.

Citation

Schaffer, V. and Kannis-Dymand, L. (2024), "Inspiring Awe in Immersive Nature Tourism Experiences", Cognitive Psychology and Tourism (Tourism Social Science Series, Vol. 27), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 211-226. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1571-504320240000027017