Comparative Analysis of Joy and Awe in Four Cultures Daria B
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
James Madison University JMU Scholarly Commons Dissertations The Graduate School Spring 2017 Being and beholding: Comparative analysis of joy and awe in four cultures Daria B. White James Madison University Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/diss201019 Part of the Counselor Education Commons, and the Multicultural Psychology Commons Recommended Citation White, Daria B., "Being and beholding: Comparative analysis of joy and awe in four cultures" (2017). Dissertations. 150. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/diss201019/150 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the The Graduate School at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Being and Beholding: Comparative Analysis of Joy and Awe in Four Cultures Daria Borislavova White A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy Department of Graduate Psychology May 2017 FACULTY COMMITTEE: Committee Chair: Dr. Debbie Sturm Committee Members: Dr. Lennis Echterling Dr. Cara Meixner Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to all the wonderful people who shared the most precious “eternal moments” of their lives with me. To all of you, I offer my heartfelt gratitude. I have rejoiced in reading and rereading your stories, living with your memories, learning from you all how to be be-filled and beholding. I write in remembrance of two beloved people who died in 2008 – my brother Ivaylo, whose bear hugs, warmth and sharing nature were a shelter for me, and my friend Mirela, whose pure soul, tinkling laughter and sharp intelligence are irreplaceable. I miss you both! ii Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge the members of my dissertation committee and their contribution and support throughout the dissertation process. My dissertation chair Dr. Debbie Sturm was with me from the beginning stages of dreaming up of this project, encouraging me to begin the journey of joy and awe. Dr. Lennie Echterling patiently supported me throughout my studies, his guidance contributed to spreading my wings and becoming a scholar. Dr. Cara Meixner was my methodologist, the person who taught me how to think clearly and engage with qualitative research. Dr. Vesna Hart and Dr. Thom Field provided unwavering friendship, invaluable emic and etic positioning, coding consensus, and second opinions through chapters four and five of the dissertation. In the most challenging years of chronic illness and recovery, I want to thank my husband Dr. Andrew White for being my rock always. He was the provider and the wise voice through life’s uncertainties, making the physical, financial, and emotional space for me to get to graduation. My children, the light of my world, Julia and Chris, rolled with the punches and put up with the chaos of illness and graduate school. I want to acknowledge the love of my parents – Nezabravka and Borislav Ikonomovi, two people greater than life. Finally, there are several people who made this dissertation possible: Tanya Petrova (the first who encouraged me to go for a PhD, the person I want to become when I grow up), Judy White (my adopted American mother), Dr. Mary Thiessen Nation (my home in Harrisonburg). iii Table of Contents Dedication ….... ...................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments.................................................................................................. iii Table of contents .................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ........................................................................................................ vii List of Figures ...................................................................................................... viii Abstract .................................................................................................................. ix Chapter I: Introduction and Overview of the Study .................................................1 Overview of the Existing Literature ...............................................2 Definition of Terms..........................................................................5 Problem Statement ...........................................................................6 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................7 Research Questions ..........................................................................8 Significance of the Study .................................................................8 Overview of the Dissertation ...........................................................8 Chapter II: Review of the Literature ......................................................................10 A Note of Caution ..........................................................................10 Procedures ......................................................................................12 Positive emotions ...........................................................................13 Plato’s Inquiry into Cultural Vitality .......................................13 The Ultimate Experience .........................................................18 Positive Psychology and the Ideal Internal State .....................23 Function of Positive Emotions .................................................25 The Phenomenon of Joy.................................................................30 Definition .................................................................................30 Physical Manifestation .............................................................32 Etymologies .............................................................................32 Understanding Joy ...................................................................35 Joy’s Dimensions .....................................................................35 Conditions for Joy ....................................................................35 Joy’s Shadow ...........................................................................36 Joy Outcomes and Counseling .................................................44 Qualitative, Quantitative Studies: .............................................37 The Phenomenon of Awe................................................................37 Definition .................................................................................37 Physical Manifestation .............................................................37 Etymologies .............................................................................38 Understanding Awe .................................................................39 Awe’s Dimensions ...................................................................40 Conditions for Awe ..................................................................41 Awe Outcomes .........................................................................41 Awe’s Shadow .........................................................................42 Quantitative, Qualitative Studies: ............................................42 iv Culture and Positive Emotions ......................................................44 Basic Human and Cultural Values ...........................................44 Values and Desired Emotions ..................................................51 Cultural Scripts and Emotion ...................................................58 Communitas of Culture ............................................................59 Culture and Joy ..............................................................................61 Cultural and Awe ...........................................................................64 Chapter Summary ..........................................................................64 Chapter III: Methodology ......................................................................................66 Methodological Fit ........................................................................66 Positionality and Personal Bias .....................................................67 Participants Sample Population and Selection Criteria ................69 Data Gathering ..............................................................................72 Data Analysis ................................................................................75 Research Trustworthiness .............................................................85 Chapter IV: Results Categories Promoting Joy and Awe ...............................................85 Descriptions of Joy and Awe .................................................85 Unity of Souls ........................................................................89 Joy and Awe in Nature .........................................................101 Spirituality............................................................................105 The Original Self..................................................................109 Other Emotions ....................................................................116 Other Contributors ...............................................................120 Barriers to Joy and Awe ..............................................................125 Family Troubles ..................................................................125