1. What is an Emotion???
EQ: What are emotions, how are they expressed, and why do we feel them?

2. What is an Emotion?:
An emotion is a response to stimulus that is temporarily created by our cognitive assessment of a situation and our learned and reflexive responses to a situation
In other words, we react both physically and psychologically

3. Characteristics of Emotion:
Emotion is…
-temporary
-positive or negative
-based on experience
-an altered state of consciousness
-an action trigger
-based on our motivations

4. Emotion and Mood are Different:
Emotions are temporary and can change quickly while moods last for extended periods of time
When I see an old friend, for example, my emotion might initially be happiness, but when he explains that his daughter just got diagnosed with cancer, my emotion would change to sadness
A mood is when you feel in a certain emotional range (sadness, happiness, anger, etc…) for a period of time, even if you are unaware of what is causing this state of consciousness.

5. Biology of Emotion:
When we “feel” an emotion, it is actually a complex process that involves multiple systems within the body
First we must sense the stimulus that is around us
Second we must perceive the information
Third, we must react by using the appropriate part of the brain
Finally, we must express the emotion using our automatic nervous system (ANS)
-But wait, there’s more!!!

6. Biology of Emotion: The Limbic System
Within our Limbic System there are multiple organs that help to control emotion
The most important of these is the Amygdala
This important organ allows us to learn emotional associations, recognize emotional expressions, and perceive emotionally charged words
Without our Amygdala, we would not know how to react emotionally in a situation

7. Biology of Emotion: The Motor Systems
Once we have “selected” the correct emotion, we now must be able to express that emotion
For most people, the most reliable indicator of emotion is in the face
Your pyramidal motor system controls your voluntary expression while your extrapyramidal motor system controls your involuntary motor system

8. A “Tell”?

9. Biology of Emotion: The Cerebral Cortex
The Cerebral Cortex is involved in our ability to express emotion, but no one is really sure exactly how
We do know that people who suffer brain damage, for example, can still understand the humor of a situation, but they will not react emotionally

10. Biology of Emotion: The Automatic Nervous System:
The Automatic Nervous System (ANS) is divided into 2 parts
The Parasympathetic Nervous System is involved in releasing hormones that cause a protective reaction
The Sympathetic Nervous System is involved in preparing parts of our body for action
These two systems can activate our “fight or flight” reaction within our body

11. Biology of Emotion: The Endocrine System
The hormones that are emitted by our endocrine system can drastically change our emotional responses and our mood
These hormones make us more susceptible to certain emotions
If we have a build-up of serotonin, for example, we may be more susceptible to happy emotions

12. I Love You!!!

13. Emotional Study Project: Due 02/29 (25 pts.)
You will conduct a survey of your own emotions
You do not need to force yourself to feel these emotions since you will have experienced them before
For each emotion, you must explain what kinds of stimuli triggers each emotion
You must also explain the psychological and physiological reactions that you have to each emotion.
Use a chart like the one on the following page and do your work on a separate piece of paper

14. Emotion
Triggers
Physiological
Psychological
Nervous
Angry
Frightened
Happy
Unhappy
Confused
Other???: