Human Behavior > Man as a Emotional Entity
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Man as a Emotional EntityMan as an Emotional Being
That our emotions and feelings exist as a separate section/dimension/part of our functioning is a fact.
To characterize emotions as a discrete system is however rather more problematical than it may seem at first glance. Emotions are not solely composed of "feelings" They are also linked to interactions with other functional processes or systems. Remember, man is a whole and therefore any theory about emotions would have to take note of the following aspects: (i) The physical reactions during an emotional experience (physical dimension) (ii) The evaluation of the situation that precedes the emotion (iii) The experiencing of the emotion (element of awareness) (iv) The correlation between emotions and needs within a situation (conative dimension) (v) The correlation between emotions and behaviour (element of behavior). Thus the affective component is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the functioning elements although it cannot be separated from them (e.g., emotions have cognitive, conative and physical aspects). In order to establish a conceptual framework pertaining to emotions, the latter as a process is discussed below. The Evaluation of a Particular Stimulus Evokes Emotions. The person finds him- or herself in specific situations or is confronted with a specific objectives that he identifies consciously. From previous experience and knowledge he or she evaluates the situation as threatening or non-threatening, as pleasant or unpleasant, et cetera. The evaluation of the situation is, as it were, the trigger that sets off the particular emotion. It is important to realize that this evaluation is extremely subjective in the sense that the situation is evaluated solely in terms of the self. In this respect the evaluation and all subsequent emotions are egocentric in nature. They tend to elicit reactions that would protect and defend that ego. The evaluation in question also is subjective in the sense that it is based on the person's previous experiences. On one hand the evaluation is done in terms of the information-content stored in the mind. On the other it is true that the mind also stores emotional content. In consequence my emotions are an expression of my interpretation of the situation. Evaluation of the situation evokes needs/desires The evaluation of the situation evokes certain needs and/or desires in the individual concerned. For example, my anxiety that I would be bitten by a dog caused me to run away. When I am wronged by somebody I experience inner distress that leads to a desire for revenge. The Human Intra-Psychical Reactions This aspect has two elements. Firstly there is the conscious experience of specific emotions (the subjective experiencing of the situation penetrates the person's awareness). At the same time, certain physical reactions manifest themselves. These bodily changes constitute part of the experiencing of the situation. Seen like this, emotion is a psychosomatic condition. |