Is Your Behavior Really Influenced by Your Emotions?

Is Your Behavior Really Influenced by Your Emotions? It might be hard to believe, but your emotions are actually a powerful force. Emotions are a natural response to external stimuli, which triggers our bodies to create complementary emotional responses. Our anger, fear, and love responses all influence our decisions. Let's examine each of these components. Once we understand the basics of these emotions, it will become easier to identify them and take action when they arise.


In a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, researchers observed how people's emotional responses correlated to their motivations. People who wanted to remain calm were less likely to be influenced by the anger of others. On the other hand, people who wanted to feel angry responded more strongly when they learned that others were also upset. These findings were similar to those of other studies, which show that people who are angry or calm tend to be more likely to react aggressively.

While most experts agree that emotions do influence behavior, they disagree on the precise mechanisms through which they mediate behavior. They say it depends on the emotion, the context, and how people have experienced it before. And, since we are all unique, the emotions we experience are largely a function of how we perceive our environment and experience the world around us. So, how do our emotions influence our behavior?

While we cannot predict our emotions, we can understand them. Our basic negative emotions such as fear and anger are automatic and run their course within a relatively short span of time. They often begin when we are young, and are strengthened as we acquire language and the ability to express ourselves and our emotions. If you're feeling fear, you may be acting to prevent future problems. You can also experience anger and sadness, as these are natural reactions.

Your primary emotional systems guide associative learning and memory processes. These networks of circuitry are called the limbic system. These regions of the brain are responsible for generating our core emotions and for forming our homeostatic drive and sensory affects. The limbic system is the brain's main source of emotional responses, and this network is shared in animals. The limbic system contains the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus, all of which are involved in the primary process of emotion.

The theory and techniques of emotion feelings may be useful in exploring how emotions operate at various levels of consciousness. At present, these processes are relegated to the ambiguous concept of the unconscious. However, this concept has the potential to open up many insights about the psychology of emotion and behavior. For example, some people have a logical belief that their decisions are completely rational and uninfluenced by their emotions.

While everyone experiences sadness differently, the emotions associated with it are usually related to our interest in a subject. A feeling of interest, for example, may cause us to turn away from an object or activity. In addition, our facial expressions and nose wrinkles may indicate our fear of a situation. The emotion of interest influences all of our mental processes and is a key motivator for creative and constructive endeavors.