The subject of the current work is a highly polymorphic region on the gene coding for D4 type dopamine receptors (DRD4) consisting of a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) of a 48 base pair sequence. Convergent evidence from psychology, population genetics and animal behavior research support the important role the DRD4 VNTR polymorphism plays in promoting exploratory behavior.

Awe is an emotion felt in the presence of vast stimuli that are not accounted for by existing mental schema (Keltner & Haidt, 2003). In the current work I made the claim that awe signals the opportunity for exploration. Given the demonstrated relationship between the DRD4 VNTR polymorphism and exploratory behavior, the main aim of the current work is to test the relationship between this polymorphism and emotional reactivity to awe-eliciting situations. Specifically, I hypothesized that people with DRD4 VNTR variants that have been associated with exploratory behavior (carriers) would experience more awe than people who do not have those variants (non-carriers) across a range of situations.

Study 1 used a college sample to test this hypothesis, both in a controlled laboratory environment and in people’s daily lives using diary methodology. Specifically, in a laboratory setting, carriers reported more awe than non-carriers in response to a film clip that had been validated as a reliable elicitor or awe, but no differences were found between groups in response to film clips that elicited compassion and amusement. Furthermore, analyses of daily diary data showed a trend such that carriers reported more awe across a 14-day diary period than non-carriers. Study 2, an ecologically valid test of my hypothesis, found that in a sample of adolescents from underserved communities who went white-water rafting, carriers reported more awe than non-carriers. Importantly, DRD4 VNTR did not have a consistent effect on any of the other emotions measured across these three contexts. I discussed the implications these findings have for our understanding of the emotion of awe and programs that aim to increase well-being through the experience of awe.