Our Emotions Part Four - Emotions vs Feelings

aleksandraz (61)in #psychology • 8 years ago (edited)

Emotion is something that is studied a lot lately, nevertheless, there are a lot of discussions and disagreements on this topic. The research for my article Our Emotions Part 3 - Basic Emotions lead me to this next topic and they are quite closely related.

Let me share my findings with you.

Some scientists believe there’s a difference between feeling and emotions. My attention was dragged by works of Antonio Damasio who seems to be one of the first neuroscientists who started to work in the field of emotions.

He believes that there’s is explicit difference between emotions and feeling, though they are closely related. Damasio defines emotion as “execution of very complex program of actions.” (source)

What is called actions here Damasio explains in three ways. The first two ways are related to muscular movements: one kind of actions could be bodily movements, like moving one’s arm or making a facial expression; another kind of action is internal muscular movements like heartbeat. The third kind of actions is not related to muscular movements but rather to various kinds of molecular releases.

Thus, emotions occur on a physical level and change our physical state. Emotions occur in limbic system and thus this is unconscious process. Changes which are initiated by emotions are needed for is so that we’re able to survive better. Situations and circumstances of outer world could be perceived by us as either dangerous for us or favourable ones when we need take action to gain profit. If we would spend time on thinking in all and every situation on whether this is a good or bad situation for us we won’t be able to survive. For example, it would be too late if at all understood that an alligator in a river of Africa where you swim is a dangerous thing. This is when emotions comes in. Emotions are automated process which tells us what to do and how to react in short term.

If there’s a threatening or dangerous situation, adrenalin or cortisol is released and triggers the according response. Whenever there’s a positive situation and opportunity is seen, dopamine, seratonin or oxitocin is released to ensure the according immediate action.

Emotions is something that is universal not only among humans of different nations, but the essence of emotions is the same even among different species. So, if a person is healthy the emotions are felt extremely similar by all humans.

Feelings are defined by Damasio as “a portrayal of what is going on in your organism when you’re having an emotion.” Also, Damasio mentions that emotions don’t last long, actually, emotional intelligence specialist Joshua Freedman points out that an emotion(the life of released chemicals till they’re completely absorbed) lasts for 4-7 seconds. Freedman suggests that when we feel something longer than 4-7 seconds it’s our choice to do so. Similarly, Damasio points out that feelings are conscious, as they’re created in brainstem and insular cortex. As feelings are conscious they are the ones that are lasting, we remember them and are able to use them in order to coordinate our decision making in the future so that we achieve our goals and desires.

Also, feelings are different within different people as they depend on experience, preferences, etc. Thus, different people will feel differently in same situation, for example you and your friend are looking each at your children having fun on roller coaster. You may feel joy and happiness cause your child is having fun, but your friend, who tends to be afraid of everything and particularly is afraid to ride on a roller coaster may feel fear as he’s afraid for his child.

In such a way we understand that emotions are instinctive and automated, but feelings are conscious and even controllable. Feelings are the ones that helps us to survive and blossom in long term notion.

What’s also interesting to mention is the statement by Freedman that even emotions are controllable to some extent. For example, you haven’t slept for days then at work somebody points out some mistakes of yours. You lose yourself, get irritated and may answer inappropriately for such situation. What Freedman points out is that it was your decision not to get enough sleep in the first place, and this is exactly what triggered this unpleasant emotion and response at work.

Thus, we have an opportunity to control our emotions, at least to some extent, by making healthy and aware decisions in advance. :)