Depending on how you are feeling, there are different states of emotions that you may experience. These feelings include Fear, Anger, Sadness, and Disgust.
Joy
Historically, joy has been defined by many authors as ineffable. However, a number of definitions are now in dispute. For example, Arianna Huffington (2007) studied joy triggers, determining that joy is produced by positive brain responses. She also found that people who experience ecstasy have a decreased sense of self.
Another definition of joy is a state of feeling that involves characteristic changes in cognition, motor behavior, and attention. These changes can be triggered by external factors or be intrinsic to the individual. Unlike happiness, which can be momentary, joy can last for longer periods of time.
In the West, the definition of joy may be interpreted in many different ways. One definition, cited by Morrice (1984), is “the most obvious thing to do is to be joyful.” A similar definition is “the hedonic tax collector.”
In terms of the TJ&GLP, joy is a dispositional state of mind. It involves cognitive freedom to expand and enhance your social resources. It also involves feelings of freedom, safety, and ease. It is also contagious, resulting in higher rates of joyful behaviors.
Although the psychology literature on joy is surprisingly small, some of the work is inconclusive and often refers to concepts that are not well defined. It is also difficult to operationalize the concept of joy. This article outlines the strengths and weaknesses of current empirical work, and suggests further lines of investigation. It concludes that there is more to be discovered about the neurobiological and psychological correlates of joy.
A review of literature from other fields, such as linguistics and sociology, suggests that language can play a role in the phenomenology of joy. However, more cross-cultural work is needed to explore how language shapes the way we think about and experience joy.
Fear
Several psychological theories propose that fear is a biologically basic emotion that is shared across mammals. Darwin first argued that fear was a phylogenetic concept. Despite the debates surrounding the evolutionary origins of emotion, it is clear that fear has common roots.
A number of behavioral clues and neurobiological evidence support this theory. However, it remains to be seen whether similar components exist in nonhuman primates. Future work will attempt to investigate these questions.
Fear is an adaptive response to a threatening stimulus. The cognitive processes involved in this response include attention, memory, and decision-making. It is also important to note that it has a context-dependent relationship. This means that it will vary depending on the type of threat, the distance to the threatening object, and the time since the threat was encountered.
In addition to these core biological processes, the adaptive responses to fear may be modulated by complex symbolic knowledge. This is an area of research that requires collaboration between scientists working on consciousness and neuroscience.
In addition to cognitive processes, fear has effects on autonomic and autotrophic systems. A fear-inducing stimulus such as carbon dioxide may evoke a graded increase in fast swimming behavior in zebrafish. This can help to quickly respond to danger.
In humans, learning about harmful stimuli involves the amygdala. It is believed that most of the fear stimuli are learned socially.
The amygdala also supports wide connectivity, so that it is possible for fear to be triggered by many different types of stimuli. Various somatosensory, visual, and olfactory channels can all be implicated in fear processing.
During the processing of fear, the aMCC, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) interface with the brain. They are responsible for signaling the dorsal raphe nucleus that the stimulus is uncontrollable.
Anger
Among the states of feeling, anger can be a very powerful one. It can be accompanied by various physiological effects such as muscle tension, elevated blood pressure, and increased respiration. In addition, anger is often accompanied by a release of adrenaline.
Moreover, it can mask other emotions such as sadness, grief, or embarrassment. However, it can also be destructive. It can lead to substance abuse, occupational maladjustment, and crimes of passion.
Anger is often accompanied by physical manifestations such as clenched fists, cursing, and hitting a wall. Besides, it can cause negative evaluations by others, and even damage property. In some cases, anger can be the result of a traumatic event.
Nevertheless, while angry feelings are often accompanied by various physiological responses, it is not clear how exactly they are generated. Some researchers hypothesize that they may be triggered by an overt attack. In contrast, others argue that they are a result of a perceived threat.
Regardless of the mechanism, there are distinct differences between the physiological and psychological expressions of anger. In other words, it is not always associated with an aggressive approach, and is often an unjustified reaction to an otherwise harmless or neutral situation. Similarly, some studies have found that angry adults limit their options by employing “either/or” thinking.
Nevertheless, while some argue that there is no direct link between the physiological and psychological aspects of anger, the aforementioned physiological reactions have been found to be correlated with various forms of anger expression. Specifically, anger-in and anger-out behaviors were compared, and the latter was accompanied by greater heart rate and resting blood pressure.
This is because the physiological reaction to anger increases the blood flow to the active muscles. At the same time, sympathetic nervous system arousal can also produce hormonal changes.
Sadness
Identifying the states of feeling sadness is an important part of identifying and treating depression. Whether you are suffering from the condition or a friend or family member, acknowledging the feeling is a good first step to help alleviate symptoms and make it easier for you to deal with it.
The best way to recognize the state of feeling sadness is to take note of its various facets. The first thing to note is that a person can experience mild to extreme feelings of sadness at any given time. However, if it lasts for more than two weeks, then you may need to seek professional help.
While it isn’t surprising that some people are naturally prone to experiencing feelings of sadness, some others suffer from severe and persistent sadness akin to clinical depression. This type of sadness often causes the avoidance of attachment and commitment. Taking action to address the cause of your sadness is an effective approach to managing it.
One way to do this is to acknowledge your feelings in a nonjudgmental manner. It may be a good idea to spend some quality time with a close friend or family member and talk about what you’re feeling. Also, if you’re in the throes of depression, be sure to get adequate sleep and eat a healthy diet. You can then start the process of healing your sadness.
The state of feeling sad is also a great indicator of a need for change in your life. Fortunately, there are many ways to reframe your perspective and move on. You can begin by making a list of things you are grateful for. Alternatively, you can take a walk outdoors, listen to melancholy music, or watch a movie that has a sad message.
Disgust
Among the basic emotions, disgust is considered to be one of the most universal. It is associated with nausea and blood pressure drops. It is also known to be a powerful determinant of discrimination. It is also believed to have evolved into a ‘disease-avoidance’ emotion.
Objects that elicit a disgust reaction include blood, animal body products, and contaminating agents. It is also associated with injury. Generally, people who experience disgust have a lowered blood pressure and an intense urge to avoid the object. The elicitors can be different for different animals and in different cultures.
Psychologists have investigated the relationship between disgust and psychopathology. They have suggested that it involves a complex set of interactions between the emotions.
In the basic disease-avoidance view, disgust is an emotion that protects us against illness and contagion. It is therefore an important part of survival for our species. It is also thought to prevent the oral incorporation of things that might spread disease.
In addition, some researchers have argued that disgust plays a role in moral judgment. Higher levels of disgust are associated with stricter moral judgments. In contrast, lower levels are characterized by distaste and dislike. Among other factors, disgust is also related to aversion and moral hypervigilance.
It has also been noted that some people feel disgust when they look at themselves. This could be a result of projection. It is a result of the perception that their bodies are deformed or that they are dirty.
A facial expression of disgust is characterized by a slightly sagging jaw, a retracted upper lip, and a wrinkled nose. It is often accompanied by nausea and a desire to run away.
People who are more sensitive to disgust are more likely to associate people from outside their social group with disease. They are also more likely to associate criminals with evil. In contrast, they find themselves more attractive and safe within their own group.