Emotions are specific psychological and physical reactions to certain events in life. An emotion is a complex subjective experience involving physiological and behavioral responses.
One has one's own individual subjective experience to a particular event because one's interpretation and description of the event varies. The subjective experience initiates a physiological response, which is mediated by hormones. The physiological response varies from individual to individual to the same experience. And it also varies at different times to the same experience in the same individual. The physiological response is expressed outwardly as a specific behavior, which may include fainting, a flushed face, muscle tensing, facial expressions, tone of voice, rapid breathing, restlessness, or other body language. This gives a clue to others that the person in experiencing an emotion.
There are basically five theories as to how and why people experience emotions, which are mentioned below:
Evolutionary Theory -
In the 1870s, Charles Darwin proposed that emotions evolved because they have adaptive value. For example, fear evolved because it helps people act in ways that enhanced their chances of survival. He pointed out that facial expressions allow people to quickly judge someone's hostility or friendliness and to communicate intentions to others.
Recent evolutionary theorists believe that emotions are innate responses to stimuli, which are affected by both our thoughts and learning. They also believe that humans experience several primary emotions including happiness, contempt, surprise, disgust, anger, fear and sadness. And all other emotions result from blends and different intensities of these primary emotions. For example, terror is a more intense form of the primary emotion of fear.
The James-Lange Theory -
This theory has been proposed originally by psychologists William James and physiologist Carl Lange. It suggests that an external stimulus causes a physiological reaction in an individual. The emotional reaction depends on how one interprets the physical reaction. For example, while walking in the woods on seeing a grizzly bear, you start trembling and your heart begins to race. According to this theory of emotion, you are not trembling because you are frightened. Instead, you feel frightened because you are trembling.
The Schechter-Singer Theory -
This theory suggests that a stimulus leads to a physiological response, which is then cognitively interpreted and labeled as an emotion. In other words, people infer emotions depending on physiological responses. Based on cognitive interpretation of an event, people label the emotion. The theory also suggests that similar physiological responses can produce varying emotions. For example, if one experiences a racing heart and sweating palms during an important exam, one will probably identify the emotion as anxiety. Similarly, if one experiences the same physical responses on a date with the significant other, one might interpret those responses as love, affection, or arousal.
The Cannon Bard Theory -
This theory proposes that we experience physiological arousal and emotion at the same time. For example, the emotional response to seeing a grizzly bear is fear. Fear then causes us to run. This is how we commonly understand how emotions work, and why we have them. It is generally considered a healthy response to run away from bears.
The Facial Feedback Theory -
According to this theory, emotion is the experience of changes in our facial muscles. It is the changes in our facial muscles that cue our brains and provide the basis of our emotions. Just as there are an unlimited number of muscle configurations in our face, so too are there a seemingly unlimited number of emotions. For example, when we smile, we then experience pleasure or happiness. When we frown, we then experience sadness.
Conclusion -
It is now amply evident from different theories that an emotion has three components viz. a stimulus, physiological arousal and behavioral response. According to The James-Lange Theory, the physiological arousal caused by a stimulus precedes an emotional response. Whereas, according to The Cannon-Bard Theory, the physiological arousal and emotional response take place at the same time. The Schechter-Singer Theory suggests that a stimulus causes a physiological arousal before producing an emotion, which depends on the cognitive interpretation of an event.
Above theories, albeit with definite differences, help us understand nature of different emotions comprehensively. Since emotions form an integral part of our life, a better understanding of their nature equips us to lead a better and meaningful life.
Emotions form an integral part of our life, which largely depends on how we understand and manage them. If we can manage them properly, we will be able to handle our day-to-day interpersonal interactions better, thus making our life easier and more peaceful.
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