“Mind and Feelings” is a phrase so similar to the titles of Jane Austen’s novels . But no, the terms are found on the covers of her books only separately. But both are the main features that distinguish nomo sapiens from animals. But the line between them is obvious.
First attempt to find differences
Understanding the human psyche, it is much more difficult to explain how feelings differ from emotions. There are quite a lot of both. At first glance, it seems that emotions are primary and lightweight, if such a definition is applicable to them from the point of view of a psychologist. For example, a feeling of fear. A man lives with him, it has developed, the verb “frightened” is not applicable to him. This term characterizes the suddenness and instantaneous action. But when a person is scared how many times, he develops a sense of fear.
Vivid examples
Of course, this is not the main indicator of how feelings differ from emotions. It happens, of course, that, say, a person feels a deep sense of hostility right away. But after all, before this feeling arose, in his brain for years was the acceptance or rejection of something. That is, speaking in common language, feelings are time-tested, and emotion is a kind of reaction of the body to something, it is associated with a certain time and situation. Thus, we can say that emotions are short-lived and situational. Of course, this is not the opinion of a professional, but of an amateur, and in psychology there are specific definitions of how feelings differ from emotions.
The question is thousands of years old
It is clear that these questions have interested people since antiquity. And every philosopher, every school adhered to its own concepts and interpretations. Disputes are still ongoing. Ancient Greek thinkers believed that there are 4 passions - desire, joy, sadness and fear. Descartes increased the number to 6 - surprise, love, hate, desire, joy and sadness. What are they talking about? In ancient Greece, were not surprised and did not like? Or are these two feelings part of desire and joy? And can surprise be called a feeling? Is it inherent in depth and duration in time? After all, there are definitions of “short feelings”, “petty feelings” and so on. A person who is in a state of constant surprise will sooner or later fall into the "house of sorrow and sorrow."
The distinction is very thin
We have to admit that the
classification of emotions and feelings is not only clear, but generally absent. Spinoza generally believed that there are as many feelings and emotions as there are objects that cause them. Maybe this is true, otherwise, why sometimes they call feelings “complex”. And this concept can be combined so much that sometimes there is a need for the formation of a new term.
However, there are major feelings. Undoubtedly, this is love and hunger. Everyone knows that rules this world. Although hunger is an animal feeling that determines the existence of an organism in general, and it must somehow stand apart from spiritual concepts. It turns out that feelings of love are of paramount importance. But in strength and intensity, hatred may well reach out to them. They are very similar in effect to human actions. Both that and another can serve as the birth of a feeling of patriotism - the most noble feeling in the world, both that and another can push the person to murder.
Hence the need for additional explanations explaining these feelings of love or hatred. For example, "base love" or "noble feeling of hatred." In these cases, love is bad and hatred is good. Spinoza is right. Emotions are also difficult to classify.
Variety and many feelings and emotions
Indeed, it is difficult to explain intelligently how feelings differ from emotions, but we can safely say that there are a lot of those and others. Absolutely everything that a person encounters in the surrounding world, everything that such abilities of the body as hearing, sight, taste, smell and touch react to, the individual evokes certain feelings inherent in him.
Perhaps a distinguishing feature can be sought with the help of such a combination as “mind and feelings”? Reason greatly limits feelings - this is what distinguishes a person from an animal. It can be argued that not all (love and hate blind the mind), but the vast majority of human feelings are subject to the mind. And emotions, due to the suddenness of occurrence, as a rule, are not. How can mind control sudden fear or horror? No way. Confirmation of this is the expression of emotions. They cannot be restrained or controlled - even if it is not a scream, but dumb from horror, a person turns pale or, conversely, from blood is filled with anger - these evaluative reactions of the body are not subject to reason. We do not take high-class scouts into account; their lack of human emotions is an indicator of professionalism. And only this control over emotions does physiognomy science owe its appearance.
Clear differences
From the above facts, the conclusion suggests itself that the manifestation of emotions and feelings is different. The latter, as a rule, can be hidden for years, emotions - no. Can the fact that hunger, self-confidence, humor, and patriotism harmoniously fit the noun “feeling” serve as yet another stroke of difference? But to fear, sudden pallor, trembling hands, making
hair stand on end, it does not apply. True, all this can be called the reaction of the body, but these are pure emotions, which, as a rule, are always explainable. What a man was afraid of, why he blushed, where did the desire come to sleep and wake up in three days. Some feelings cannot be explained. First on this list is love. The decisive inexplicability of its occurrence is ascertained by popular wisdom about the anger of this feeling and the poor goat.
An easy explanation of the cause of the occurrence and the impotent flutter before the phenomenon is also a distinctive feature. To continue the topic, we can consider the origin of these concepts. “Emotion” came from the Latin emovere - to be shocked, worried, and “feeling” is an original Russian word, translated from the ancient language means to be receptive to something. Even their interpretations are different. Feeling is shocking in quantity, up to the polarity of the shades, the emotion is always concrete.
Many shades
As you can see, the characteristics of emotions and feelings are very diverse, there is no clear scientific classification, there are a lot of points of inconsistencies. For example, some researchers say that it is not possible to hide an emotion, but a feeling - on the contrary, others argue that the former, on the contrary, have no external manifestation, and the latter have. It is worth noting that in the near future they will not agree.
If you try to somehow generalize the above, then you can get such a picture. It can be argued that feelings are manifestations of the soul, and emotions are the organism. It is appropriate to note that the former relate to the social sphere, while the latter gravitate to chemical reactions of the body. Emotions are primary, feelings are made up of them. It is impossible to hide the first, strong feelings can be hidden for a very long time. Is not hypocrisy born from here? Feelings are multifaceted, emotions are concrete. They vary in duration. Multifaceted and long-term sensations, as a rule, are always explainable, short-term and sudden ones exist on an unconscious level. You can talk about these two interconnected, interpenetrated phenomena for an infinitely long time, and each time a new nuance or stroke will appear. What still needs to be said is the functions of emotions and feelings and their impact on human life.
Primacy of emotions
Emotions are primary, so you need to start with them. They are positive and negative. Guarding and destructive. The very existence of an organism depends on emotions. Functions are classified. There is a signal function or communicative. Emotions are expressed using the muscles of the face and body, gestures of movements. For example, a person could not hide a joyful smile in response to something or rushed to push the child off the roadway, slapped a scoundrel. These emotions correspond to the conditions of human existence in society.
Regulatory function is responsible for the balance of the body. An excess of feelings can be expressed in crying, screaming - in this way the tension is relieved. Cried, and it became easier. Hence the advice of loved ones at times when a person is not easy: "and you cry."
The reflective function is defensive in nature. Emotions allow a person to concentrate on a subconscious level and avoid danger: pull his hand away or deviate in time.
The incentive function (as the name implies) pushes and determines the direction of action. A person feels that something needs to be done - probably the concept of an “inner voice” was born from here.
The reinforcing function is that strong emotions are fixed in memory and develop into a feeling or cause a desire to achieve something specific.
The switching function allows you to place accents and take over certain emotions. A classic example is overcoming a sense of fear.
The basis of the existence of Homo sapiens
From this we can conclude that feelings and emotions are the basis of life. They are directly responsible for the physical existence of the body, for the right and the opportunity to be called a person. Undoubtedly, feelings enrich a person’s life, fill it with meaning, and finally extend it. There is such a thing - to live for the good of someone (or put grandchildren on their feet, or finish the job they started). Often, such feelings make a person live, despite their ailments, overcoming the disease. Emotions and feelings stimulate and determine the mental activity of a person. In a word - life itself is impossible without them.