<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This paper attempts to coin a stipulative definition of “emotions” to determine their functions. In this sense, “emotion” is a complex phenomenon consisting of an accurate (reliable) determination of the state of affairs in relation to the state of the subject and specific “points of adaptation”. Apart from the cognitive aspect, this phenomenon also includes behavior, physiological changes and expressions (facial expression, voice, posture), feelings, and “execution” of emotions in the nervous system. Emotions fulfill informative, calibrating, identifying, existential, and motivating functions. Emotions capture the world as either positive or negative, important or unimportant, and are used to determine and assign weightings (to set up a kind of hierarchy). They emerge automatically (involuntarily), are difficult (or hardly possible) to control and are (to some extent) influenced by culture.</p></abstract>

This paper attempts to coin a stipulative definition of “emotions” to determine their functions. In this sense, “emotion” is a complex phenomenon consisting of an accurate (reliable) determination of the state of affairs in relation to the state of the subject and specific “points of adaptation”. Apart from the cognitive aspect, this phenomenon also includes behavior, physiological changes and expressions (facial expression, voice, posture), feelings, and “execution” of emotions in the nervous system. Emotions fulfill informative, calibrating, identifying, existential, and motivating functions. Emotions capture the world as either positive or negative, important or unimportant, and are used to determine and assign weightings (to set up a kind of hierarchy). They emerge automatically (involuntarily), are difficult (or hardly possible) to control and are (to some extent) influenced by culture.

What are Emotions? Structure and Function of Emotions

Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin,

Studia Humana

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"What are Emotions? Structure and Function of Emotions"}

This paper attempts to coin a stipulative definition of “emotions” to determine their functions. In this sense, “emotion” is a complex phenomenon consisting of...

What are Emotions? Structure and Function of Emotions

Publicado en línea: 16 nov 2016

Páginas: 29 - 44

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sh-2016-0013

Palabras clave
emotion, feeling, action, brain, nervous system, expression, cognition, function, significance, positive, negative

© 2016

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

What are Emotions? Structure and Function of Emotions

Publicado en línea: 16 nov 2016

Páginas: 29 - 44

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sh-2016-0013

Palabras claveemotion, feeling, action, brain, nervous system, expression, cognition, function, significance, positive, negative

© 2016

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Palabras clave
emotion, feeling, action, brain, nervous system, expression, cognition, function, significance, positive, negative