What is EMOTION in PSYCHOLOGY

We make mention of emotions easily; Between dialogues with a friend we express for example "how angry I see you today", "it makes me very happy that you are by my side" or "it makes me very sad to hear that song". Various signifiers of the many sensations that we are experiencing, and that is what often causes difficulty in understanding them. What is emotion in psychology? In this Online Psychology article we share some definitions proposed by authors involved in the investigation of the emotional world. We will also see what relationship there is between emotion and motivation and emotions and feelings. In addition, we will explain the concept of emotional intelligence.

Index

1. Definition of emotion according to authors
2. Functions of emotions
3. What are the basic emotions
4. What are secondary emotions
5. Emotions and feelings
6. Emotional intelligence

One of the authors best known for the ease of reading with which he managed to disseminate the importance of the emotional world is

All emotions are impulses to act, instantaneous plans to face the life that evolution has instilled in us. Ingrained impulses that lead us to act. Daniel Goleman (1995).

Let us consider the corollary that Goleman raises in each of the chapters of his book. The author reopens the approach that centuries before the naturalist had made Charles Darwin, in which emotions existed long before language and that is why most of the recognized emotions are also experienced by a large animal group. Charles Darwin showed that both animals and men perform Actionsexpressive survival that have emerged and structured as a product of evolution.

There is no difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness and misery. Charles Darwin (1872).

However, there are current proposals in which it is said that some of these emotions have evolved to levels of sophistication that would only be developed by humans (supposedly most smart). Thus we understand that humans can manifest a much more diverse and complex repertoire of emotions due to neocortical (cognitive) processes.

Thus Daniel Goleman is facilitating the reading not only with a very perceptible and understandable language, but also by the so successful compilation of the authors and their theories.

For these two authors cited emotions are means or mechanisms of survival that have developed over millions of years of phylogenetic evolution - biologically and culturally.

Darwin proposes that the association of useful customs, where the force of customs and associations become elements fundamental for the birth of acts, even when they do not pass into our field of consciousness or when they do not represent any usefulness reasonable. Thus arise actions produced by stimulation or excitation of the peripheral nervous system or limbic system In general, they transmit information to the nerve cells and the action of the muscles that determine a series of acts produced many times without our being aware of them.

Thus we understand that emotions are mechanisms that allow us to survive, and that they exist long before language (the reptilian brain precedes the cerebral cortex), and therefore are impulses recorded in our human genetics for adaptation to the environment in which we perform each day.

The function of an emotion will vary according to the need that the environment requires, that is, each emotion prepares the organism for different types of response. But in general they function as coping and adaptation mechanisms.

Next, Daniel Goleman (1995) shares some of the main functions of emotions:

The fear

With fear, the blood goes to the skeletal muscles of the legs to make the action of run away (for example, running or jumping); the body freezes even for a few seconds, but this allows us to estimate if it is more suitable hide or not of the threatening stimulus. The emotional circuits of the brain involved release hormones that put us in alert general, which makes us prepare to act and focus our attention on the most immediate threat. In this article you will find more information about what is fear in psychology.

For example, the fear alert system is necessary to flee when we see a truck approaching us at great speed.

The sadness

It helps us adjust to significant losses in our lives (for example, the loss of an ideal, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job). Sadness produces a need for introspective isolation (reflective-metacognitive), which creates a moment of understanding of the effects or consequences of the loss of life itself, and thus little by little energy recovers and begins to plan new.

It is important to mention that there are no positive and negative emotions, although some of them may be unrewarding or uncomfortable to experience. Sadness is one of the emotions most evaded by euphoric states, however, when the way of expression of any emotion is interrupted, it finds place in the return of symptoms of different mental pathologies and physiological.

The wrath

With this emotion the blood flows as a priority to the hands, this allows it to be much easier beat to the enemy, and the adrenergic system is exacerbated and thus generates enough energy to achieve a vital act.

Surprise

The expression of raising the eyebrows allows a increased visual perception and so much more light can reach the retina of the eye. This action allows get more information of the unexpected event, and thus be able to distinguish it accurately.

Here we share what are the six basic emotions proposed by Daniel Goleman, from which he says that all the others that are known arise and which are presented as an immediate response to a stimulus, also have the intrinsic character in humans, that is, the basic emotions come engraved in our DNA due to a process of phylogenetic evolution.

The basic emotions are then those that we share with all our peers, wherever they live and regardless of the culture they have.

1. Sadness.
2. Surprise.
3. Afraid.
4. Disgust.
5. Joy.
6. Go to.

Secondary emotions, unlike basic ones, are learned throughout life, and they are generally the mixture of two emotions (for example, shame can arise from guilt and fear; jealousy, love and fear). Secondary emotions are social, that is, they are learned from an interaction with the society in which we live.

Here are some recognized secondary emotions:

1. Guilt.
2. Jealousy.
3. Resignation.
4. Anguish.
5. Uncertainty.
6. Indignation.
7. Loneliness.
8. Hate.

In this article you can see the Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions in which you will find the primary emotions and the secondary emotions that derive from each of them.

As we have seen, emotions They are reactions of the nervous system common in animals, which motivate action according to the perceived stimulus. Therefore, emotions are immediate and short-lived. On the other hand, feelings They are more lasting and stable affective states that arise from thoughts, rather than from a specific stimulus.

In this article you will find the 7 differences between feelings and emotions.

Knowing what emotion is in psychology, we can define emotional intelligence as the ability to perceive, observe, understand and manage emotions in ourselves and also in others. Knowing how to recognize emotions allows us to listen to them and learn. Knowing how to manage them allows us to act intelligently in each situation, attending to emotions but also to reasoning.

In this art article you will find more information about what is emotional intelligence and how to develop it.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is emotion in psychology, we recommend that you enter our category of Emotions.

The expression of emotions in man and animals

• Darwin, C. (1872). The expression of emotions in man and animals. Editorial John Murray.
• Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Editorial Vergara.