by Keith Sonnanburg, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Emotions are principal human concerns. Our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, our ups and downs all comprise the great ride of life. The arts abound in unceasing explorations of sentiment. Even cerebral contemplations of sublime truths reconcile life's vicissitudes, deeply felt meanings, hurts, and inner peace.
Some cultures celebrate passions, while others consider unbridled expressions suspect. Some families enjoy intimate emotional bonds, while others explode with destructive emotional entropy. Some individuals embrace the guidance of their own emotional compass, while others combat their unruly impulses.
What are emotions? We learn to name complex patterns of bodily changes and evaluative judgments in response to situations as "emotions." When we involuntarily jump in response to unexpected events, gasp for breath with mouth agape, and raise our eyebrows, we recognize our "surprise." When we observe a frown on someone with slow movements and slumped posture, we guess at "sadness." When someone oversteps social norms at the expense of another, we expect an "angry" response. "Fear" is accompanied by changes in heart rate, blood vessels, sweat glands, and digestive processes that seem to prepare the body for quick escapes, while mitigating the chances of disabling injury and prompting avoidance. Our multifaceted responses are collected under one conceptual label. There are visceral, cognitive, behavioral, social, and expressive components of what we call emotions.
Although academics debate the causative agency of emotions, some of their differences likely stem from the diversity of definitions for emotion proposed by various theoreticians. Whenever events co-vary (for example, when emotions correlate with decision-making behavior), it is wise to consider that one may cause the other, or vice versa, or some common factor may give rise to both. It is also prudent to suspect what our own introspection "reveals," given our propensities for self-deception. As a consequence, researchers and scholars have puzzled over emotions for millenia.
The cumulative data suggests that emotional phenomena have useful functions across species, begin with physiological changes that precede conscious cognition, predispose us to certain behavioral proclivities, become associated with various circumstances, can change via learning, and are a significant factor in communication. What roles do emotions play in the course of human events? Emotions inform communication, register valuations, direct decisions, affect performance, and impact bodily processes.
Despite the fact that thousands of words describe emotions, theoreticians have elevated between two and eleven emotions as more "basic" than others. Candidates for this elemental status are selected according to features like: physiological and neurological expressions, biological roles, cross-cultural invariance, independence from higher cognitive processes, independence from learning, and their relationship to actions. Common examples among these lists are: anger, fear, sadness, joy, surprise, and disgust.
Why then does the dictionary contain so many fine distinctions? Many variants indicate matters of intensity, for example: the anger grouping includes irritation, annoyance, anger, ire, and rage. There are emotions born of social circumstances; for instance: love, guilt, humiliation, amity, and enmity. There are emotions of self-regard; these include pride, inadequacy, unworthiness, and self-righteousness. There are emotions that stem from the past (like grief) or anticipate the future (like hope). Some identified emotions describe the absence of arousal (like relaxation or apathy). We even describe the suppression of emotional awareness as "numbness."
Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence underscored the value of learning to attend to and navigate emotional landscapes. There are many benefits (both personal and professional) that accrue from competently tapping our emotions. Timely notice of emotional stirrings can prompt corrective action in our everyday lives. Learning to recognize distinct emotions and whence they arise can help smooth relationships and resolve distress as it occurs. Learning to trust our hunches, or that some are untrustworthy, can enhance sound decision-making. Sensitivity to emotional signals from others, along with empathic understanding, can facilitate our daily dealings with people. Knowing how to effectively communicate emotions and how to regulate them can make life easier for all who are affected.
Of course, emotions can be disturbing as well. We awaken with nightmares. Panic renders us useless. Our rage consumes us. When overcome by helpless dejection, we withdraw from all that is worthwhile. Self-loathing leads to self-harm. Intense erratic emoting scares away interpersonal supports. Deficiencies in our emotional responses can be equally destructive. Without emotional awareness we may find ourselves "stuck" in rituals that seem inexplicable and inescapable. When we minimize the import of emotional responses, our bodies may suffer from unresolved stress responses that belie our inattention. When we mask our emotions, people around us may get confused, frustrated, annoyed, or estranged.
Emotions deserve our focus and understanding. Although individuals fashion personal accomodations for their own emotions, the nature of our relationship with emotions (in ourselves and in others) determines much of our satisfaction and success in living. Learning to identify emotions is a foundational skill. Understanding what emotions signal is key to deriving benefits from them. Developing ways to distinguish between helpful emotions and dysfunctional ones is useful. Discovering how we can change our emotional responses to themes and events equips us to enjoy more of life's treasures.
Growing emotionally demands reflection, life experience, and relationship. Friendship, experimentation, reading, contemplation, and spiritual pursuits all may contribute to our emotional development. Seeking professional consultation is one helpful way to promote and facilitate such growth.