The previously unstudied emotion of elevation is described. Elevation appears to be the opposite of social disgust. It is triggered by witnessing acts of human moral beauty or virtue. Elevation involves a warm or glowing feeling in the chest, and it makes people want to become morally better themselves. Because elevation increases one’s desire to affiliate with and help others, it provides a clear illustration of Fredrickson’s (2000) broaden-and-build model of the positive emotions.
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Jonathan Haidt (2000) studied this question.