Our brains share similarities with the most dazzling firework displays. Ideas shoot up from nowhere, then blast tendrils of related concepts through our minds. When we’re excited, synapses fire in quick succession like firecracker strings. And sometimes we mull, and mull, and mull, and then, BOOM! We figure it out.
Yes, the commonalities are many. Perhaps that’s why the “science” (to be read as you make air quotes with your fingers) of why the fiery displays make us so happy is absolutely……non-existent.
There’s no lack of “scholarship” (air quotes again, please) about why people love the colorful celestial displays or why they bring so much joy. However, the quoted experts and articles are affiliated with the fireworks manufacturing or sales industry. That certainly mandates a think and a chin scratch.
Like this one that states fireworks are educational and refers to uncited “studies.” Or this one that describes the enjoyment of fireworks as an orienting response.”
Except according to the National Library of Medicine, an orienting response is for something someone has never experienced before. Most people who attend fireworks shows have seen them, liked them, and come back to see them again. That orienting also relates to an experience that’s unexpected. But the folks who traveled to the pyrotechnic event likely expected pyrotechnics.
There are many people for whom fireworks can be traumatizing. They could have post-traumatic stress disorder, and the explosions could produce fear, anxiety, and physical manifestations of fear.
Additionally, for many people, the sounds and lights can be overwhelming because of other sensory sensitivities or neurodifferences. If you are hosting an event and plan to light fireworks, be aware of those conditions. Schedule the display and inform guests about the time to allow them to arrive after the event or leave before it. Remind guests before igniting the display.
For people who are not negatively affected by fireworks, the Health and Wellness team compiled the best hypotheses about the enjoyment and happiness associated with pyrotechnics that it could find. They are presented for your review.
Fear
A neuroscientist in the United Kingdom suggests that humans enjoy being scared, but only to a certain extent. “People seem to be excited by the anticipation of a slightly scary experience,” Daniel Glaser of King’s College in London told “Psychology Today.” “Fireworks repeatedly set up this expectation. Each flash generates the anticipation of a bang, and that satisfaction seems to be what’s exciting about the display.”
Tradition
Psychologists and Kansas State University agreed about the danger factor and added a love of tradition to the list.
“…If people have strong memories of celebrating a holiday in a particular way in their childhood… (they) are strongly drawn to recreate that ‘safe’ childhood holiday activity,” said Richard Harris, psychology professor at the university. “People who might never seek out a fireworks display other times might find that important to do on Independence Day.”
Surprise
You hear the whistling as the projectile ascends. Or against a darkened sky, you see a hint of a smoke trail. You know something spectacular is coming, but what? A glorious pink, drippy, weeping willow type formation? Or one of the blasts that sends hundreds of green sparks, skittering across the sky like disturbed ants.
According to a podcast on surprise and happiness, “When we’re surprised, for better or for worse, our emotions intensify up to 400%. If we’re surprised with something positive, we’ll feel more intense feelings of happiness or joy than we normally would have absent the surprise.”
Memories
This research on shared memories and Alzheimer’s has nothing to do with fireworks. (But remember, the Health and Wellness team compiled research on happiness to develop plausible explanations for fireworks joy.) It’s about reminiscence therapy, the practice of recalling shared experiences.
July 4th is often a time when friends and relatives assemble as they have in years past to celebrate. A psychiatrist noted that sharing memories has a positive effect on your brain. It’s uplifting, calming and improves your mood. The joyful feeling improves brain function, leading to increased alertness and more enjoyment of life, he said.
Social Wellness
One of the eight elements of wellness, social wellness includes participating in social gatherings and connecting with people. Collective gasps and giggles unite strangers in fleeting, sparkly moments. Social wellness emphasizes the importance of long, sustained relationships. Groups of longtime friends will enjoy the event together, as will newfound associates. For the latter group, the experience can reduce feelings of isolation and foster a sense of belonging.
Awe
A psychology professor at the University of California Berkeley studies awe. That emotion makes people think about the world as a larger, less constricting place, the professor said in an interview with Inc.
Given the crowds that public fireworks displays can draw across the country on July 4, millions of people find fireworks awesome. Awe “helps reduce anxiety, loneliness and depression,” the article stated, “and connects us more fully with our fellow humans, leading to greater happiness.
They just do
No science needed.
