"Kama Muta": The most intense human emotion ever experienced

A couple meeting in an airport, a video of a dog saving a cat from a storm, a man hugging his child after a six-month mission in the field of war... and a lump forms in your throat, a tear suddenly rolls down your cheek, shivers take over your body, and this is what scientists call "kama muta."

The scientific term "kama muta" comes from Sanskrit and literally means "transported by love." Kama muta refers to a positive social emotion associated with solidarity, love, and compassion. It has been conceptualised by several social science researchers to identify this state experienced by all, which is so difficult to define precisely.

As if the heart were leaping and beating at the edge of the eyes.

Professor Alan Fiske, who works as an anthropologist at the University of California, is one of the leading figures of this concept, a pioneer in research on the subject. Along with his team, he came up with the idea of ​​"kama muta" to describe this "flurry of emotion" that can quickly bring tears to the eyes, trigger chills, or cause a feeling of warmth in the heart. The intensity of this flurry can vary from person to person and is often triggered by deep social connections.

And how do we recognise "kama muta" from other sensations?

This specific emotion is deeply linked to reciprocity and human relationships; it's not a matter of egocentrism, but rather a movement of openness toward others. "Kama muta" is described as a "prosocial" emotion that encourages group cohesion and mutual aid.

Furthermore, "kama muta" is not a function of the type of scene or event we witness, but of how we interpret it. Physical signs appear as soon as we perceive a sudden, yet sincere connection between two people. This emotion seems to have evolved over time, encouraging us to preserve and maintain the bond, the very bond that contributes to our survival within social groups.

The effect of "kama muta" is powerful: it acts as an emotional reward, congratulating us for having contributed to the creation of the bond.

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source : Ça m’intéresse - Illustration : ©Unsplash)