For example, emotions like fear evolved over time. When our human ancestors, who had the capacity to experience fear, saw a steep cliff, they behaved more cautiously as they neared the precipice. Because they took more precautions, individuals who experienced fear were more likely to survive than those without fear. The fearful individuals lived long enough to reproduce and gave birth to children with a similar capacity for fear. Evolution selected for both negative emotions like fear and positive emotions such as happiness. Negative emotions deter individuals away from actions that are harmful or costly. On the other hand, positive emotions motivate people towards potentially beneficial actions. [2] X Research source
Researchers have since expanded the list of emotions to include contempt, pride, shame, love, and anxiety. There may be more basic emotions than that, but the extent to which they are universally experienced or culture-specific remains up for debate. [3] X Research source
For example, imagine you woke up one day, and you didn’t feel embarrassed or have any sense of shame or social anxiety. You generally did not care at all how you acted in front of other people. Chances are you would lose all your friends if you didn’t care how you acted around them. That’s because emotions help us to get along with others. [4] X Research source
The most famous of these cases is Phineas Gage (PG). While working PG was accidentally impaled in the head with an iron rod, damaging a part of his brain involved in the processing of emotion. Miraculously, PG survived the accident, although he was never the same person again. His personality changed drastically. He displayed flat or inappropriate emotion, made horrible decisions, and was miserable to be around. One of the main reasons for this shift in behavior was that the rod had damaged a part of his brain involved in emotion. [6] X Research source [7] X Research source One group that has trouble in society are psychopaths. One of the key diagnostic criterion for psychopathy is a lack of emotion, something called callous-unemotional traits or a lack of empathy or guilt. Lacking these emotions can lead to antisocial and sometimes criminal behavior, highlighting the importance of emotion to our sense of morality. [8] X Trustworthy Source Association for Psychological Science Nonprofit organization devoted promoting trustworthy research and education in the psychological sciences Go to source
Depression, which involves persistent and long-lasting feelings of sadness and a loss of interest. [10] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Anxiety disorders. General anxiety disorder refers to extended and excessive worry about day-to-day occurrences. [11] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Schizophrenia can be associated with a lack of emotions or an irritable or depressed mood. Mania, which generally occurs in bipolar disorder, refers to an extended period of abnormally and excessively elevated mood. Manic individuals may also be excessively and persistently irritable. [12] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
For example, maybe you felt anger and you recalled that soon before you realized that you had to wait in line for 15 minutes for lunch, and you hate waiting in lines. You can use this information to increase or decrease the emotions that you want or don’t want in your life. If you know what makes you angry, you can take steps to avoid situations that trigger that emotion. For example, once you know that you hate waiting in lines, you can only buy a small handful of groceries at a time, so you can use the express lane.
The experience of anger sometimes begins in the back between the shoulder blades and travels upward, along the back of the neck and around the sides of the jaws and head. When experiencing anger you may feel hot and flustered. If you notice sensations like tension, pain, and pressure in your back, neck, and jaws, you may be internalizing your anger.
Disgust is felt primarily in the stomach, chest, and head areas of the body. You may actually feel sick or nauseous and find yourself closing off your nasal passages and moving away from the revolting stimuli. [15] X Research source
Fear is usually felt primarily in the top half of the body. However, when it involves a fear of heights, fear often involves sensation in the legs. When experiencing fear, your heart may beat faster, you may breathe quicker, your palms may feel sweaty and hot as part of your nervous system kicks into high gear. This response is the so called fight or flight response. [17] X Research source
While happiness is perhaps one of those most easily recognizable or well-known emotions, is also one of the most difficult to define. It can involve feelings of warmth throughout the whole body, or it can involve a sense of feeling content, safe, or living the good life. [19] X Trustworthy Source Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Official peer-reviewed and multidisciplary journal for the National Academy of Sciences. Go to source [20] X Research source
Sadness often begins in the chest and moves upward through the throat and up to the eyes where we see tears. You’ve probably heard the expression: “She’s all choked up. " Allowing yourself to cry fully can be a cleansing experience. Paying attention to the physical sensations in these areas and allowing the energy to move, helps us to grieve after a loss and empathize with others’ suffering. [22] X Trustworthy Source Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Official peer-reviewed and multidisciplary journal for the National Academy of Sciences. Go to source [23] X Research source
Surprise is felt primarily in the head and chest. It is experienced in response to the unexpected; it can feel like a bit of a jolt. [25] X Trustworthy Source Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Official peer-reviewed and multidisciplary journal for the National Academy of Sciences. Go to source
