Emotional states are a mental phenomenon that occurs in a person as a result of a reaction to an object or situation. They are not static and have different strengths of expression. Such conditions determine a person’s behavior and depend on data of his character and psychotype.
The main emotional states: characteristic
Emotions are characterized by three parameters:
- Valence. This is the so-called tone of emotions: they can be negative and positive. An interesting fact is that they emit much more negative emotions than positive ones.
- Intensity. Here the strength of emotional experience is evaluated. External physiological manifestations have the greater severity, the stronger the emotion. This parameter is closely related to the autonomic nervous system and central nervous system .
- Stenichnost. This parameter affects the activity of human behavior. It is represented by two options: stenic and asthenic. Asthenic emotions contribute to the paralysis of actions: a person is lethargic and apathetic. Stenic, on the contrary, prompts action.
Kinds
The emotional state of a person is divided into 5 categories, which are identified by the strength, quality and duration of manifestation:
- Mood. One of the most prolonged emotional states. It affects human activity and can occur both gradually and suddenly. Moods are positive, negative, temporary and stable.
- Affective emotional states. This is a group of short-term emotions that suddenly encompass a person and are characterized by a vivid manifestation in behavior. Despite the short duration, the influence of affects on the psyche is very large and has a destructive nature, reducing its ability to organize and adequately assess reality. This condition can only be controlled by individuals with a developed will.
- Stressful emotional states. They arise when a person gets into an extreme situation from a subjective point of view. Severe stress can be accompanied by affect if a lot of emotional damage has been suffered. On the one hand, stress is a negative phenomenon that adversely affects the nervous system, and on the other hand, it mobilizes a person, which sometimes allows him to save his life.
- Frustration. It is characterized by a feeling of difficulties and obstacles, leading a person into a depressed state. In behavior, there is bitterness, sometimes aggressiveness, as well as a negative reaction to events that occur, regardless of their nature.
- Emotional states of passion. This category of emotions is caused by a person’s reaction to material and spiritual needs: for example, a strong desire for something causes in him a desire for an object that is difficult to overcome. In behavior, activity is observed, the person feels a rise in strength and most often becomes more impulsive and proactive.
Together with this classification, there is a more detailed one that divides all emotions into 2 categories.
Psychologists distinguish 7 basic emotions:
- joy;
- anger;
- contempt;
- surprise;
- fear;
- disgust;
- sadness.
The essence of the basic emotions is that they are experienced by all people who had a harmonious development without pathologies from the nervous system. They are equally manifested (albeit in varying degrees and quantities) among representatives of different cultures and social environments.
This is due to the presence of certain brain structures that are responsible for a particular emotion. Thus, a certain set of probable emotional experiences is inherent in a person initially.
On the other hand, there is another category of emotions - variative. These are those experiences that are caused by the specifics of the environment, education, culture. Their difference from the basic ones is that they manifest themselves differently in human behavior.