What Are Emotions?
Emotion is a subjective state of mind, which is a response to external stimuli or internal thoughts or memories. Emotion can be termed as a mental state caused by neuropsychological changes; it is mainly associated with feelings, thoughts, and behavioral changes. Emotions are often related to mood, personality, and creativity, mainly determined by the external stimulus that triggers a reaction, for example, hearing good news, feeling happy, etc. Similarly, standing in a dark room alone makes the person scared; in both situations, emotions of joy and fear are determined by external factors, which are the news and the dark. Emotion is considered to have three components: a subjective experience, a psychological response, and a behavioral response, which are also called critical elements of emotions. Emotion is a factor that governs how we deal with or look at life.
What Are the Key Elements of Emotion?
As mentioned above, subjective experience, psychological response, and behavioral response are considered the key elements of emotions; let us understand these elements in detail.
Subjective Experience:
Emotion is considered to be a subjective experience as we know it. A particular emotion in the same situation can react differently from two individuals. For example, something that makes you angry can be variable to others, or you must have also experienced the intensity of anger deferred according to the reason, Which is why it is said emotion is multidimensional or has a wide range and is a subjective experience.
Psychological Response:
Based on the studies, emotion is considered a psychological response as it has been observed that when a person is angry or fearful, his heart rate increases palm sweat. As a result, he reaches a stage of adrenaline release, the hormone responsible for dealing with fear and flight mechanisms. Emotion stimulates the same system; thus, it is considered to have a psychological response.
Behavioral Response:
Behavioral response is one of the essential aspects of emotion. For example, children tend to act scared when they are in school around teachers; it is noted that our ability to distinguish between situations and react accordingly depends upon emotional intelligence.
What Are the Types of Emotions?
Emotions can be broadly classified as basic and complex emotions. Basic emotions are the ones that are universally recognized and do not need any processing; there are six basic emotions identified by Paul Ekman, which are happy, sad, anger, fear, surprise, disgust, later pride, shame, embarrassment, and excitement added to the types of basic emotions. Robert Pultchik created a wheel of emotions where he placed each basic emotion opposite, like happy or sad. Complex emotions can have multiple thoughts at the same time; these emotions are difficult to recognize and require cognitive processing.
What Are Basic Emotions?
Basic emotions as described above are:
Happiness -
It is a pleasant feeling that everyone strives for. It is an emotional state where a person is content and satisfied. Though happiness is a basic emotion, it is subjective and influenced by many external factors. For example, some feel happy being wealthy, while others find happiness in being around beautiful places, and children find happiness in having toys.
The happiness can be seen through facial expressions a happy person would present with
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A broad, pleasant smile.
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Body language would be relaxed.
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Have a confident and excited tone in your speech.
Though happiness is a pleasant emotion, it has become very materialistic and influenced by external factors, which have caused several problems like depression, anxiety, and stress in individuals who cannot fulfill their expectations. Therefore these days, spiritual advisors preach to live a life without expectations of external gain, which would help you to stay stress-free, and happiness would flow. This would prevent mental health issues and prolong life expectancy.
Sadness -
It is considered the opposite of happiness. This emotion is usually associated with feelings of disappointment, grief, depression, or feeling of being disheartened. Like other emotions, sadness is also experienced periodically by individuals, and everyone has a different way of expressing their grief. Expressions can vary from crying, Lethargy, being quiet, or withdrawing from the group. The intensity and duration of sadness depend on the root cause. And the coping mechanism of the individual. Feeling of sadness should always be discussed with friends and family or expressed in some other form so that you get over it. If sadness is not overcome, it can be transformed into depression, and the person can make his life miserable.
Fear -
Fear is a mixed and powerful emotion that, in a kind, rules life and is an essential aspect of a disciplined life; in other words, it plays a vital role in survival. Any incidence that causes an adrenaline rush or fight or flight response in such moments can be termed a fraction of fear. Thoughts of fear can vary from person to person as some fear closed spaces, God, and ghosts, while others fear accidents, and kids fear their parents or strangers can scare them. Such incidences can be read through your facial expressions where eyes are widened; you have a dry mouth, pale, expressionless face, seated body, and increased heart rate. The mechanism of our body to overcome fear is our body prepares to run away or deal with it. Fear is not always bitter to everyone. Some individuals thrive in fearful situations where amusement or adventure parks are found enjoyed by people while others try to stay away from them.
Fear can be overcome by repeated exposure, and the same is the idea behind therapy used to overcome fear.
Disgust -
Disgust is another primary emotion that is mainly a response to a repulsion that can generate from various acts like being untidy, stinking, having a shabby appearance, or having improper eating habits. Even disgust is a subjective term as something disgusting to one can be attractive to others, like talking a lot.
Disgust can be expressed in numerous ways:
Wrinkling the nose, vomiting, turning away from the object.
Anger -
Anger is a powerful emotion that just like fear can activate the fight-flight mechanism. Anger can be expressed in extreme ways and even turn into violence at times. Anger is often presented as speaking loudly, yelling, turning red, sweating, hitting, kicking, and throwing objects. Anger is generally presented as a negative emotion, but anger sometimes proves to be helpful as it motivates to improve and find solutions.
Surprise -
Surprise is also one of the 6 basic emotions, this emotion can be positive, negative, or neutral. Surprises keep a person startled hence it stays in memories for longer durations. A surprised person presents with wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and might scream or gasp.
How to Manage Emotions?
Emotions are an unavoidable part of human life, but we mustn't let them control the life we lead thus we must have control over our emotions.
Following are the ways to control emotions:
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Identify the feeling.
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Push the button.
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Think about your opinion.
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Respond, do not react.
These are very important ways, as we know words are the strongest weapons and hence must be used very carefully therefore before reacting to any situation it is important we stay calm and analyze the situation and need to respond to it.
Conclusion:
Emotions or feelings are subjective states of mind that are resultant of internal thoughts or surrounding incidents. There are 6 basic types of emotions that help us lead our life, though these emotions are important they should not overpower our brains thus it is important to manage and control our emotions.
