ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

EMOTIONS
 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

INDEX
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS
HOW DO WE EXPRESS THE EMOTIONS?
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BRAIN WHEN WE EXPRESS EMOTIONS?
WHAT TYPES OF EMOTIONS EXIST?
DIFFERENT THEORIES ON EMOTIONS
WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL STABILITY?

 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

WHAT IS AN EMOTION?

An emotion is a set of neurochemical and hormonal responses that predispose us to

react in certain ways to an external stimulus (such as the vision of a spider) or internal
(as a memory about the childhood years).
That means that an emotion is what is generated by the limbic system of the brain
when the groups of neurons related to certain experiences, so that we are predisposed
to act in a certain way.
In other words, emotions are the answers that we elaborate thanks to our brain and
help us to interpret the world around us. we can define it as a complex state of
the organism which is characterized by a set of cognitive and behavioural
psychophysiological responses, which predispose an organized response and they are
generated as response to an external or internal event.

WHAT IS A FEELING?

A feeling is similar to an emotion and is closely related to the limbic system, but in
addition to this spontaneous, uncontrollable and automatic predisposition, it includes
the conscious evaluation we make of this experience. That is to say, that in a feeling
there is a conscious appreciation of emotion and subjective experience in general.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMOTION AND FEELING?

Emotions and feelings have to do with something irrational that has to do with the
subjective way, we experience a situation. Neither phenomenon can be translated in
the form of words faithfully and without leaving many nuances in the inkwell, and it is
the other person who, making an effort of empathy, must build in his mind and from his
own experiences how we should feel.
However, the fundamental difference between emotion and feelings is that the first one
is totally basic, primitive and unidirectional, while the feeling includes the ability to think
and reflect in a conscious way on what is felt and, therefore, has to do with the ability to
think in abstract and symbolic terms.
So that, the feelings are bidirectional, since there is something that goes from the most
basic and primitive mental processes to consciousness, but there is also something
that goes from consciousness to the way in which this situation is valued and
experienced in a holistic and global way.
Although the concepts of feeling and emotion refer to different things, to practice there
where there is an emotion there is always a feeling (or several). Both are presented at
the same time, and the words we use for conceptually separated only exist in theory to
allow us to understand in a more precise way about what part of the conscious
experience we are describing.
The distinction between the two is more virtual and theoretical than material.
 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

HOW DO WE EXPRESS EMOTIONS?

Emotions are express through our non-verbal communication (gestures, looks,

facial expressions, body postures) and also manifest in our body.
Paul Ekman, American psychologist, pioneer in the field of emotions and facial
expression. Ekman says that the facial expressions associates to the
different emotions are Involuntary, unconscious and universal. They have a
biological origin and do not depend on culture. This idea is consistent with the
hypothesis of C. Darwin.

WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE AN EMOTION?

When a person experiences the acute phase of an emotion is less intelligent, because
the feeling, whether positive or negative, decreases the prefrontal cortex, which is the
area of brain that evaluates and ponders the generation of ideas.
Throughout the 25 minutes of an emotion, the brain liberates dopamine by letting go
of real consciousness; For this reason, people often remember insignificant things, lose
context and react immediately.
Many emotions are generated in the same area of the brain. Some actions or
stimulants can help us balance the substances that converge in these areas, such as
the amygdala, and impact our mood.
According to neuroscientist Alex Korb, both the guilt and shame are generated in the
amygdala, but there is also the point that is stimulated when we achieve something.
This explains why for some people feeling guilty or ashamed is a mood almost
perpetual and they seem to seek compulsively and when someone asks for example
forgiveness all the time it may be because their brain is trying to activate the reward in
the amygdala. That is why people usually find a certain pleasure in being always
worried. Korb's solution to this is stimulate, knowingly, those same areas and circuits
of the brain in an alternative way.
Thinking about what one appreciates in life, for example, can unleash serotonin, which
is transmitted through the amygdala, thereby producing tranquillity, happiness and
even greater neuronal efficiency, which It translates into greater emotional
intelligence.
But not everything depends on serotonin. Even the action of naming something
produces neurotransmitters that can inhibit some harmful emotions.
The same action of speaking, for example, activates the prefrontal cortex which helps
to inhibit the activity of the amygdala which, as we have already pointed out, can lead
to harmful emotions. It is a balanced system where, if one area is activated, the others
can decrease or present changes in their levels of substances.
 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

TYPES OF EMOTIONS

1. Primary or basic emotions

Primary emotions are also known as basic emotions, and they are the emotions we
experience in response to a stimulus
Paul Ekman affirmed that the basic emotions are 6: sadness , happiness, surprise,
disgust, fear and go to. All of them constitute processes of adaptation and, in theory,
exist in all human beings, independently of the culture in which they have
developed. Although currently an investigation has concluded that there are not 6 but 4
emotions. The results were obtained by observing the different facial muscles, which
scientists have called "Units of Action", involved in the signalling of various emotions ,
as well as the time during which each muscle performs a contraction or relaxation.
This research is a great start in the objective study of dynamic expressions of the
face, and probably will emerge more in the future thanks to the analysis platform
developed by Glasgow University and are the fear, anger, joy and sadness
2. Secondary emotions
Secondary emotions are a group of emotions that follow previous ones. For example,
when we experience the basic emotion of fear then we can feel the secondary
emotions of threat or anger, depending on the situation we are living. Secondary
emotions are caused by social norms and by moral norms.
3. Positive emotions
Depending on the degree to which emotions affect the behaviour of the subject, these
can be either positive or negative. Positive emotions are also known as healthy
emotions, because they positively affect the well-being of the individual who feels
them.
4. Negative emotions
Negative emotions are opposed to positive emotions, because they negatively affect
the well-being of people. They are also known as toxic emotions, and often provoke the
desire to avoid or evade them.
5. Ambiguous emotions
Ambiguous emotions are also known as neutral emotions, since they do not cause
negative or positive emotions, neither healthy nor unhealthy. For example, surprise
does not make us feel good or bad.
The existence of these emotions makes it clear that we are complex animals, and that
our experiences have many nuances.
6. Static emotions
Some authors have also made reference to static emotions. They are those that are
produced thanks to different artistic manifestations, such as: music or painting.
Thus, when listening to a song we can feel very happy or very sad, but that feeling
would be qualitatively different from the happiness or sadness that is experienced
before any other experience, since it is lived in an artistic context, mediated by symbols
and attributions on the intentions of the author.
 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

7. Social emotions
Social emotions do not refer to culturally learned emotions, but it is necessary that
there is another person present or else they cannot emerge. For example, revenge,
gratitude, pride or admiration are emotions that we feel about other individuals.
8. Instrumental emotions
The instrumental emotions are those that have as purpose or objective the
manipulation or the purpose of achieving something. They are difficult to recognize
because they may appear to be natural. However, they are forced emotions and hide
an intention. Sometimes, they are the result of auto-suggestion: submitting to certain
contexts voluntarily to make a part of that emotion colour our way of behaving.

THEORIES OF EMOTION

They can be grouped into three categories: physiological, neurological Y cognitive

Physiological theories suggest that intracorporal responses are responsible for
emotions. Neurological theories propose that activity in the brain leads to emotional
responses. And, finally, cognitive theories argue that thoughts and other mental
activities play an essential role in the formation of emotions.
Evolutionary theory of emotion (Charles Darwin)
The evolutionary theory of emotion has its origin in the ideas of Charles Darwin ,
who He stated that emotions evolved because they were adaptive and allowed human
beings to survive and reproduce. For example, the emotion of fear forced people to
fight or avoid danger.
Therefore, according to the evolutionary theory of emotion, our emotions exist because
they help us to survive.
Theory of emotion by James-Lange
Proposal independently by William James and Carl Lange. This theory suggests that
emotions occur as a consequence of physiological reactions to events.
In addition, this emotional reaction is dependent on the way we interpret those physical
reactions.
According to the James-Lange theory, you will interpret your physical reaction and
conclude in the emotion that reaction produces.
Emotion theory of Cannon- Bard
Walter Cannon did not agree with the previous theory for different reasons. First, he
suggested that people experience the physiological reactions associated with emotions
without feeling emotion. In addition, Cannon suggested that we feel emotions at the
same time as physiological reactions. Cannon proposed this theory in the 20s, but the
physiologist Philip Bard, during the decade of the 30 decided to expand this work.
Specifically, this theory suggests that emotions occur when the thalamus sends a
message to the brain in response to a stimulus, which causes a physiological
reaction. At the same time, the brain also receives a message about the emotional
experience. This happens simultaneously.
 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

Theory of Schachter -Singer

This theory is part of the cognitive theories of emotion, and suggests that
physiological activation occurs first. Next, the individual must identify the reasons for
this activation to experience the emotion label. A stimulus causes a physiological
response that is then interpreted and labelled cognitively, which becomes the
emotional experience.
The theory of Schachter and Singer is inspired by the previous two. On the one hand,
like James-Lange's theory, he proposes that people infer their emotions from
physiological responses. However, it is differentiated from it by the importance of the
situation and the cognitive interpretation that individuals make to label emotions.
Furthermore, like the theory of Cannon Bard, also it holds that that similar physiological
reactions cause a variety of emotions.
Theory of cognitive evaluation
According to this theory, thought must occur before the experience of emotion. Richard
Lazarus was the pioneer in this theory, reason why this one usually receives the name
of the theory of the emotion of Lazarus. In summary, this theoretical artefact affirms
that the sequence of events first implies a stimulus, followed by an emotion.
Emotion theory of facial feedback
This theory states that facial expressions are connected to emotional
experience. Some time ago, both Charles Darwin and William James noticed that, on
occasion, physiological responses had a direct impact on emotions, rather than simply
being a consequence of emotion. According to the theorists of this theory, emotions are
directly related to the changes produced in the facial muscles.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

Emotional Intelligence is a construct that helps us understand how we can influence in

an adaptive and intelligent way both our emotions and our interpretation of the
emotional states of others.
WHAT DOES IT CONSIST OF?

From Latin intelligentĭa , the notion of intelligence is linked to ability to choose the
best options on the search for a solution. It is possible to distinguish between different
types of intelligence, according to the skills that come into play. In any case, the
intelligence appears related to the ability to understand and develop information to use
it properly.
Emotional, on the other hand, is that belonging or relative to emotion (a psycho-
physiological phenomenon that supposes an adaptation to the registered changes of
the environmental demands). The emotional is also what emotional (sensitive to
emotions)
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand and manage emotions
correctly, in a way that facilitates relationships with others, the achievement of goals
and objectives, stress management or overcoming obstacles.
The concept of emotional intelligence was popularized by the American
psychologist Daniel Goleman and we can also say that it refers to the ability to
recognize one's own and others' feelings. The person, therefore, is intelligent (skilled)
for the management of feelings.
 ANA CHIVU/2BACH A

For Goleman, emotional intelligence involves five basic skills: discovering one's
emotions and feelings, recognizing them, managing them, creating one's own
motivation and managing personal relationships.
Emotional intelligence has a physical basis in the brain stem, responsible for
regulating basic life functions. The human being has an emotional centre known
as neocortex, whose development is even earlier than what we know as rational brain.
The cerebral amygdala and the hippocampus they are also vital in all the
processes linked to emotional intelligence. The amygdala, for example,
segregates noradrenaline that stimulates the senses.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL STABILITY?

Emotional stability is one of the five major personality factors and is the opposite of
what is often called neuroticism or emotional instability.
These five factors are emotional stability (or neuroticism), extroversion, openness,
responsibility and kindness.
Psychology makes a difference between temperament and personality . The
temperament is that part of our personality that is inherited or that has a biological
origin, being present from birth. Personality, on the other hand, is the result of the
interaction between temperament and environmental influence. That is, the
temperament can be modified by the experiences and learning that a person lives.
Emotional stability is one of the most important personality factors. It explains the
tendency of some people to be more vulnerable to problems of depression and anxiety
when they encounter stressful situations and has been related to greater or lesser
satisfaction in the different areas of life as well as the ability to manage one's life in
general.
Most people tend to be at an intermediate level on a continuum that ranges from high
emotional stability to a high degree of neuroticism or emotional instability.