admiração

Admiration is a positive emotion characterized by a feeling of respect, approval, and pleasure evoked by someone or something perceived as possessing admirable qualities or achievements. It is a complex emotional state that involves cognitive appraisal of the object of admiration, recognizing its positive attributes, and an affective response of warmth and positive regard. This emotion can be directed towards individuals, groups, ideas, objects, or even natural phenomena.

The experience of admiration often stems from recognizing excellence, skill, virtue, or beauty. It can be inspired by acts of great courage, intellectual prowess, artistic talent, moral integrity, or significant accomplishments. The admired entity is typically seen as exceeding ordinary standards, eliciting a sense of wonder and inspiration in the observer. Admiration can foster motivation, encourage self-improvement, and contribute to social bonding by creating shared appreciation for positive exemplars.

While closely related to respect, admiration often carries a stronger emotional component of delight and awe. Respect may be based on duty or formal position, whereas admiration is typically earned through demonstrated merit. Admiration can also be distinguished from envy, as envy involves a desire to possess what another has, while admiration focuses on appreciating the qualities themselves. The ability to feel and express admiration is considered a valuable aspect of human emotional and social functioning.