Outside Podcast Awe, and the Scientific Proof that the Outdoors is Good For Your Brain, with Dr. Paul Piff
Mar 18, 2026
Dr. Paul Piff, social psychologist at UC Irvine known for studying awe and prosocial behavior. He explains how brief moments in nature—big vistas and tiny wonders—ignite awe. Research from Lake Tahoe shows simple prompts boost empathy, connection, and well-being. He explores measuring awe, cultural differences, practical ways to notice it, and its promise for reducing loneliness and polarization.
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Prompt Pause And Look Up On Group Outings
- When leading outings, prompt people to pause and look up to open receptors for awe instead of powering through.
- Tahoe hikes without prompts produced no awe increase; brief instructions transformed mundane views into powerful experiences.
Slow Down Breathe Sense And Savor To Find Awe
- Do slow down, breathe, sense, and savor when in nature to increase awe.
- In Tahoe studies simple prompts to slow down produced ~34% increases in reported awe compared with no instructions.
Blue Green Clarity Drives Instant Perceptions Of Beauty
- Visual combination of deep blue water plus green surroundings and clear pure water strongly attracts human perceptions of beauty.
- Piff notes Tahoe's blue-green clarity taps evolved preferences for 'purity' and elicits powerful aesthetic responses.