Emotion

Definitions

Chaplin

1. Variously defined by psychologists of different theoretical orientations, but with general agreement that the emotional state is a complex reaction involving a high level of activation and visceral changes, and accompanied by strong feelings, or affective states. ¹

English & English

1. A complex feeling-state accompanied by characteristic motor and glandular activities; or a complex behaviour in which the visceral component predominates.²

Solms, Mark

“…a dynamic range of valuative qualities, centrally including confidence weightings, which tag and measure our various incommensurable needs as they arise, along with the salient features of the environment in which they must be met.”³

Quotes

English & English

“Emotion is virtually impossible to define except in terms of conflicting theories, though there is fair agreement in classifying as emotion such phenomena as fear, anger, joy, disgust, pity, affection, etc. Nearly all theories assign important roles to the activities of both the central nervous system and the autonomic, though they interpret these roles variously.” ⁴

Scarantino, Andrea

“Which features are involved in [an] episode of anger? First, it seems likely that you engaged in a certain type of evaluation of the events that unfolded … . Second, a sequence of physiological changes is likley to take place, involving, say, slight tremors, decrease in saliva flow, and increases of heart rate, blood pressure, rate of of respiration, and gastric activity. Third, your face, body, and voice are likely to manifest distinctive expressions: eyes locked on [the person making you angry], eyebrows lowered and pulled together, expanded chest, stiff posture, and loud and high-pitched voice. Fourth, you are likley to undergo an unpleasant subjective experience that involves feeling hot and ready to engage in aggressive action. Fifth, your mental processes and behavioursal dispositions are likely to change from their baseline states.”⁵

References