These emotions are inborn, not learnt, as even born blind and deaf people display these emotions.
The James-Lange theory
It explains the connection between our emotion and our body.
Named after the psychologist who created the theory, it states that emotions are physical in nature. It is a physical change that brings about any emotional change.
E.g. If you were nervous, remove all the symptoms of nervousness, and the nervousness would disappear.
Also states that if you do the physical response of the emotion, you may create the emotion. E.g. If you smile, you’ll be happy.
The theory suggests that we can empathise with other’s feelings. For example, if you comfort a depressed person, you may unconsciously behave in a similar way (sitting in a hunched posture and talking with a depressed tone). we pick up an echo of the depression.
Role of Beliefs
Our emotion not only has a physical aspect but also a mental one. Mental thoughts such as beliefs can affect emotion.
Social emotions are: * Ambition * Contempt * Embarrassment * Envy * Gratitude * Guilt * Indignation * Jealousy * Pride * Shame * Sympathy
Social emotions are emotions triggered through our social interaction.
Emotional Energy
Emotional energy: emotions help provide us with energy when in search of knowledge i.e. persistence and passion for a subject.
Emotion as a way of knowing
Emotions impact our mental lives – without them we would not understand the world.
Emotions as an obstacle to knowledge
Emotions can distort: perception (emotional colouring), reason and language
Emotional colouring: A termed used to refer to the effect emotion can have on our perception causing us to be unaware of some aspects of our life.
e.g. "Love is blind". If we love someone we tend to ignore the faults others may see in them.
Reason can be