PSY/220
January 10, 2014
Nekeyla Oliver
Positive and Negative Emotions
The Broaden- and- build theory created by Barbara Fredrickson (2001) describes how positive emotions open up our thinking and actions to new possibilities, and how this expansion can help build physical, psychological, and social resources that promote well-being (Baumgardner, 2009). In correlation as suggested by Fredrickson (2001), positive emotions include joy, interest, contentment, pride and love. They all provide the ability to broaden one’s momentary thought-action repertoires and help build their personal resources (Baumgardner, 2009). The benefits of positive emotions are more general and long-term rather than the
short-term effects possessed by negative emotions.
Men and women have different ways of expressing the same emotion. Hence, when a woman is sad, they tend to show depression for their sadness, whereas men tend to show anger when dealing with sadness. They both feel the same way, but show it differently. When women are angry their feeling gets expressed through words and sadness. As opposed to men their sadness is shown with anger and resentfulness. Men and women do not feel differently with a negative emotion, but simply react differently to the emotion.
Research shows that men tend to use the left side (reasoning) of their brain more than women. Women use both the left and the right (emotional) sides of their brain. This provides women the ability to understand people and express their emotions more effectively (Brenda, 2013). The research found is mixed regarding the emotional differences between the sexes. Strong evidence has been found that there are differences in the way men and women detect, process, and express emotion. Other studies show that men and women share more emotional similarities than differences (Thompson, 2013).
References:
Baumgardner, S. R. (2009). Positive psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ:: Prentice Hall.
Brenda. (2013). Do men and Women express their emotions differently? Retrieved from Imconfident: www.Imconfident.wordpress.com
Thompson Jr., D. (2013). Gender differences in emotional health. Retrieved from Everyday Health: www.everydayhealth.com