Frontiers in Psychology
June 24, 2022
Alice Chirico, Marta Pizzolante, Alexandra Kitson et al.
58 citations
Transformative experience (TE) is studied across many disciplines, from philosophy to neurobiology and in domains from spirituality to education, yet no consistent definition exists. This work reviews models and theories of TE from different fields, extracts their main components, and examines redundancies and particularities across domains. It then proposes an integrated theoretical framework and a preliminary interdisciplinary operational definition of TE. This synthesis aims to organize current research and theories, offering a foundation for operationalizing TE and encouraging new interdisciplinary studies.
Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2021
Alexandra Kitson, Alice Chirico, Andrea Gaggioli et al.
1 citation
correction
This notice corrects an error in a previously published article. No new findings or arguments are presented.
Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience
June 4, 2026
Elena Bondi, Flavia Carbone, Giandomenico Schiena et al.
People with affective disorders (ADs) show emotional processing deficits involving disrupted brain network activity, especially in default mode and fronto-temporal circuits with abnormal theta and alpha oscillations. This exploratory study used virtual reality (VR) scenarios to induce awe—a self-transcendent emotion that may reduce rumination and boost positive affect—while recording EEG in ADs and healthy controls (HCs). HCs exhibited high awe responses with scenario-specific modulations in alpha and theta band activity and connectivity, indicating preserved cognitive flexibility.
Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2020
Alexandra Kitson, Alice Chirico, Andrea Gaggioli et al.
Self-transcendence involves reduced self-saliency (ego disillusionment) and increased connection, and interest in the topic has grown over the past decade. Several measures with some psychometric validity and reliability exist, but no prior review has systematically described, contrasted, and evaluated the various methodological approaches—including questionnaires, neurological and physiological measures, and qualitative methods. This review fills that gap by describing existing measurement methods, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and suggesting future research directions and recommendations for selecting appropriate methods based on research context.