Mind

Abstract:

Emotion is a specific type of conscious experience. Like all conscious experiences, it provides us with information about how our self is affected by our activities and the objects with which we interact. Unlike other types of conscious experience, it helps preserve the integrity of our self by guiding us toward actions that restore equilibrium in response to unexpected or unusual events. Although there is no single universally accepted theory of emotion, dominant theories agree that emotion is a complex process involving the interaction of several components, which can be grouped into two main categories: emotion-elicitation mechanisms and emotional responses. Emotion-elicitation mechanisms include core affect, appraisal processes, and direct elicitation mechanisms. Emotional responses include physiological responses, behavioral expressions, action tendencies, and subjective experiences.

Emotion affects basic cognitive processes like attention and perception. Emotional information is prioritized, capturing our attention more quickly and making it harder to shift our focus away. Research shows that emotional attention mechanisms are flexible and can be modulated by social identity, personality traits, and affective context. Likewise, emotion can change how physical attributes like steepness, distance, or object significance are perceived.

Reading:

Home-Authors and Articles-Commentaries-Notebook
Links-Research-Grants-Research Team