What Are Emotions? meaning and

Emotions are physical and Psychological sensations in relation to an internal or external experience.

They’re positive or negative and produce different patterns of physiological activities. 

Some define it as inner chemical sensations that communicate to us what is happening around or within us.

Origin of the term Emotions.

The word emotions stem from the French world ’emouvoir’ which means to stir up .

The term emotion itself was coined by one Thomas Brown in 1800s .

Before that, words such as passions, accident of the soul and moral sentiments were used.

There are four aspects considered when defining or studying the concept of emotions. Let’s call them the Components of Emotions.

They’re four of them;

1. Subjective Component which submits to the rule that people don’t feel the same emotions ie; one might feel shame where another might feel guilt. Same experience different emotional experiences. Cultural and emotional labels also differ. The same emotions might be interpreted differently.

2. Physiological Components which involves bodily responses eg; stomach lurch in case of anxiety, increased perspirations etc.

These psychological responses are regulated by the sympathetic nervous system after the amygdala is activated.

For instance; the fight and flight response for fear.

3. Behavioural Component which is more common and relatable to us.

We always love interpreting people’s facial expressions before forming our predictions on whether they love or resent us.

The Behavioural component involves the expression and interpretation of emotions. While some expressions are universal eg; a smile to announce happiness or frowning to announce sadness,, some might be subjective.

In neuroscience and cognitive psychology approaches, Emotions are thought to be related to certain activities in brain areas that direct our attention, motivate our behavior, and determine the significance of what is going on around us.

The pioneers Paul Broca (1878), James Papez (1937), and Paul D. MacLean (1952) suggested that emotion are related to a group of structures in the center of the brain called the limbic system. One significant part of the limbic system is the amygdala, the brains alarm system which gets triggered anytime a stimulus proves to be rewarding or threatening prompting the nervous system to release hormones.

Non limbic structures such as the prefrontal cortex have also been found to be relevant and significant to Emotional processes.

Primary Vs secondary Emotions.

Primary emotions are those, according to clinical psychologist, experienced universally. Such as Happiness, sadness, fear , anger etc.

Secondary Emotions on the other hand are experienced as a variation of these primary emotions or those which are responses to primary emotions eg; frustrations, excitement, jealousy etc.

Positive vs Negative Emotions.

Positive Emotions are those that are pleasant to experience eg; happiness, excitement etc. Negative Emotions on the other hand are unpleasant to experience for instance; shame, envy, anger , fear, sadness etc.

Basic vs Self-conscious Emotions.

Basic emotions are biologically primitive emotions that have survival and reproductive benefits. They’re universal and might are present at birth. One Paul Ekman (1972) noted several such emotions ie; Anger, disgust, sadness, fear, surprise and joy. Charles Darwin the father of evolutionary science claimed that these emotions could be experienced by both animals and humans.

Self conscious emotions on the other hand are associated with a sense of self and self awareness. They begin to emerge between 18 to 24 months when kids starts developing a sense of self (ego). They do not exist at birth.

The non- evaluative self conscious emotions that don’t require self evaluation such as embarrassment, envy, & empathy are the first to be felt before the evaluative ones like pride, shame and guilt start to develop after kids begin internalizing rules and standards from the society..

Classical vs Homeostatic/Primordial Emotions.

Proposed by Bud Craig in 2003.

The classical emotions such as love, anger and fear are evoked by environmental stimuli.

Homeostatic emotions on the other hand are attention-demanding feelings evoked by body states, such as pain, hunger and fatigue, hence motivating behaviors such as (withdrawal, eating or resting in these examples) to maintain a body’s inner milleniue or equilibrium.

Another scientist, Derek Denton, however called the latter “primordial emotions” and defines them as “the subjective element of the instincts, which are the genetically programmed behavior patterns which contrive homeostasis. They include thirst, hunger for air, hunger for food, pain and hunger for specific minerals etc.

These Homeostatic/primordial emotions have specific sensation which when severe may be imperious, and the compelling intention for gratification by a consummatory act eg seeking food.

Complex Emotions.

Complex Emotions are those that are formed by a combination of two or more emotions. For instance; anger and disgust forming Contempt or happiness and anticipation leading to excitement.

Ambivalent Emotions.

These arise when two or more conflicting emotions are felt at the same time. Eg; a positive and a negative emotion felt t the same time toward a situation or person or decision etc..

For instance; a kid who experiences both love and hatred for his parents..

Excitement and nervousness over new job.

Admiration and envy over a friend’s success.

Low Intense Vs High Intense Emotions.

Psychotherapist Michael Graham believed that emotions existed on a spectrum based in intensity.

For instance;

Fear may range from a mild concern to a terror like reaction.

Shame may range from a small embarrassment to a toxic shame.

Anger from a small annoyance to extreme explosion.

Are Emotions good or bad? 

Well , emotions have functions to serve so they can’t be bad but definitely, there are less beneficial emotions than others. For instance; envy or anger in some cases. But anger isn’t always bad as some cultures shame it especially when exhibited by girls. Anger can be good. Can act as motivation to take actions both positive ones like setting boundaries or negative ones like murder.

Sociologists believe that emotions were socially relevant. For instance Coley (1992), stated that pride and shame were the most important drivers for people to take or avoid taking various social actions.

In what came to be known as the ‘Looking glass’ metaphor, cooley claimed that we humans oftenly monitor ourselves through the looking glass that other’s gestures and reactions provide.

These gestures and reactions make us experience either pride or shame and this resulting to various paths of action.

One Scheff (1990) who was inspired by Cooley’s work , later developed a micro sociological theory of the social bond which he stated that the formation or disruption of social bonds is dependent on the emotions that people experience during interactions.

So emotions serve a communication purpose to alert us on what is around us.

The beneficiality or none of it is however dependent on the context and how we choose to interpret them and actions to be taken.