| What are emotions? | Emotions are feelings that are often short-lived, intense, and specific (Schunk et al., 2014).
For example, we've all been ANXIOUS in anticipating a test, and the anxiety might even be quite intense. The feeling is specific to the test, however, and it likely disappears after we're finished, so the anxiety is short-lived. This is the case with most emotions. |
| Among the "Big Five" personality traits, which one relates to emotions the most? | Neuroticism, which refers to the tendency to experience negative emotions and view the world in a pessimistic way as compared to being positive, stable and balanced.
So, emotions are integral to overall personality development. |
| It is often said that emotions exist in a continuum. Explain what does this mean. | Emotions exists in a range from those that are positive, such as happiness, excitement, hope, pride, and contentment, to a number that are negative, such as boredom, anger, shame, stress, and depression. |
| Can negative emotions have an adverse impact on the body? | Yes. With respect to general health, well-established links have been found between anxiety, stress, and anger, and the development of cardiovascular disease (Mostofsky, Maclure, Tofler, Muller, & Mittleman, 2013; Roest, Martens, de Jonge, & Denollet, 2010).
"The chronic experiences of negative emotions can influence the development of disease via cumulative effect" (DeSteno, Gross, & Kubzansky, 2013, p. 476). Further, negative emotions can produce adverse health outcomes indirectly by influencing decisions and choices (DeSteno et al., 2013).
For instance, "anxiety eaters" may gain unhealthy amounts of weight, and serious depression can leave people without the energy to interact with other people or exercise. |
| Does having positive emotions benefit the body in any way? | Yes. Researchers have identified links between positive emotions and overall health and well-being. "People who experience warmer, more upbeat emotions live longer and healthier lives" (Kok et al., 2013, p. 1123).
"Moreover, it appears that positive affect may influence health not only by buffering the effects of stress, but also by inducing positive biological function and marshaling additional healthy beneficial psychosocial resources" (DeSteno et al., 2013, p. 477). |
| Are emotions simply "feelings" or is there something more to them? | Emotions have cognitive, physiological, and behavioural components (Pekrun, Goetz, Frenzel, Barchfeld, & Perry, 2011).
For example, supposed we're confronted by an immediate threat, such as a car running a red light as we're about to enter an intersection. FEAR is the motion we experience, but we also perceive danger (a form of cognition), our muscles tense and our heart rate accelerate (physiological reactions), and we likely slam on our breaks to avoid a collision -a behavioural response. |
| What is the foundation for the idea of emotional self-regulation? | The cognitive component of emotions is particular significant to emotional self-regulation. This is because it suggests that with AWARENESS -a form of cognition- we have a certain degree of control over our emotions.
Therefore, with practice we can move toward the positive end of the emotional continuum (Kok et al., 2013). |
