Awe is characterized as an ambivalent experience in the human behavior and cortex: integrated virtual reality-electroencephalogram study

Abstract

Ambivalent feelings are a defining feature of awe, which has been understood as a possible source of its psychosocial benefits. However, due to the conventional unidimensional model of affective valence, behavior and neural representation of ambivalent feelings during awe remain elusive. To address this gap, we combined awe-inducing virtual reality clips, electroencephalogram, and a deep learning-based dimensionality reduction technique (N = 43). Behaviorally, awe ratings were precisely predicted by the duration and intensity of ambivalent feelings, not by single valence-related metrics. In the electrophysiological analysis, we identified latent neural space for each participant sharing valence representation structures across individuals and stimuli. In these spaces, ambivalent feelings during awe were distinctly represented from positive and negative ones, and the variability in their distinctiveness specifically predicted awe ratings. Additionally, frontal delta oscillations mainly engaged in differentiating valence representations. Our findings demonstrate that awe is fundamentally an ambivalent experience reflected in both behavior and electrophysiological activities. This work provides a new framework for understanding complex emotions and their neural underpinnings, with potential implications for affective neuroscience and relevant fields.