permission to feel ch.2 emotions as information

nature of emotions

emotions are in a constant state of flow and we can feel multiple at once; we are always feeling something and that can be very dependent on what's around us

children's emotions

the same as adults except children haven't learned how to handle their emotions; they are often more intense than adult emotions

history of emotions

emotions have been constantly seen as irrational and irrelevant; scientists didn't like emotions because they couldn't be measured the way IQ could

Charles Darwin on emotions

emotions are used to energize adaptive behavior and signal valuable information, like signaling to mates and evading predators

cognitive loop

researchers proposed that our emotions influence our judgements; when we're in a good mood we have positive recollections

more examples of cognitive loop

sadness and happiness affect what we remember and recognize i.e. we remember or recognize sad or happy things respectively; laughter improves creativity

five areas where our feelings matter most

Our emotional state determines where we direct our attention, what we remember, and what we learn; The choices we make are influence by our emotions at the time of making them;What we feel and the signals our feelings create influence our social interactions;Emotions influence our health, they release powerful chemicals that affect our bodies; Emotions affect our creativity, effectiveness, and performance

how do emotions help you survive?

they focus your attention, so fear will keep your attention on the dangerous situation at hand

which emotions can prevent focus and learning?

strong, negative emotions like fear, anger, anxiety, and hopelessness

how do negative emotions prevent focus and learning?

those strong, negative emotions release the hormone cortisol, which prevents the prefrontal cortex from processing information effectively

what is pessimism useful for?

it can be good for editing writing pieces

what is anxiety useful for?

it can keep you looking for ways to improve

what is guilt good for?

it acts as a moral compass

what is anger good for?

it can lead you to seek justice

what are positive emotions good for?

they help generate ideas

what is bad about too much enthusiasm?

it will not help bring needed consensus to a group

when we're having trouble focusing or remembering, what should we ask ourselves?

what emotions are possibly behind this and what, if anything, can we do about it?

how do emotions affect our thoughts?

the effects are mostly unconscious

what is largely responsible for our actions?

our emotions

what are decisions in reality?

decisions are an attempt at predicting the future

how does the weather affect medical school applications?

applicants are more likely to be accepted when their application is reviewed on a sunny day than on a rainy day

how does a teacher's mood affect their grading?

teachers who are in a good mood are more likely to grade a full letter grade higher than those in a bad mood

what percentage of teachers believed their mood did not affect their grading?

87%

incidental mood bias

our moods and feelings can linger well past the point that inspired them

what do people blame when they are angry?

other people

what do people blame when they are sad?

external sources

difference between how anger and sadness makes people feel

anger makes people feel more optimistic than sadness, possibly because angry people feel more in control of their lives

Thinking fast and thinking slow concept

our brains are believed to work on two seperate but overlapping tracks, one that immediately responds without much deliberation and the other that takes its time and weighs the information first

Which decision are most affected by our moods?

Small decisions or ones that we make all the time, especially when additional information is unavailable

How can you prevent emotions from affecting you so much?

Develop emotional awareness

How can emotions serve you once you have awareness?

They can tell you how you’re responding to a situation; we can also figure out if we have legitimate reason to feel a certain way

Why are we not likely to receive emotional support when we need it most?

Our emotions will turn people off from us

A quick experiment you can conduct

Think about all the people you encounter daily and come up with the first answer you think of to these questions:

How do I feel when I encounter them?

How much do I look forward to my encounters with each of them?

What word would you use to describe the feeling associated with them?

How do emotions affect physical health?

Physical sickness can be caused by a mind under distress, but emotional well-being can lead to physical well-being

Mindset about stress and health experiment

Participants in two groups were told either the positive effects of stress or the negative effects of stress; those told the negatives had greater negative health symptoms