You’ve got to feel your feelings
Emotions can play an important role in how you think and behave.
But why exactly do we experience emotions?
What role do they serve?
Brand New Images / Getty Images
What Human Emotion Are You?
Take the Quiz
Emotions are a critical component of our daily lives and can often define the human experience.
Thisemotion quizwas medically reviewed by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS.
Adam Mitchinson / Getty Images
Where Do Emotions Come From?
Each element can play a role in the function and purpose of your emotional responses.
Because of theseemotional responses, you might be more likely to study.
Jon Feingersh / Getty Images
You also tend to take certain actions for experiencepositive emotionsand minimize the probability of feeling negative emotions.
Emotions increase the likelihood that you will take an action.
When you areangry, you are likely to confront the source of your irritation.
franckreporter / Getty Images
When you experience fear, you are more likely to flee the threat.
When you feel love, you might seek out a partner.
Emotions Help You Avoid Danger
NaturalistCharles Darwinwas one of the earliest researchers to scientifically study emotions.
Geber86 / Getty Images
He believed that emotions are adaptations that allow both humans and animals to survive and reproduce.
He suggested that emotional displays could also play an important role in safety and survival.
Emotions can also prepare the body to take action.
In other cases, it might involve directly stating how you feel.
Research suggests that people experience positive emotions 2.5 times more frequently than they do negative emotions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which part of the brain processes emotions?
The emotional processing online grid is the group of brain regions and structures responsible for processing emotions.
Why are emotions an important part of decision-making?
Emotions can help a decision-maker determine which aspects of a decision are the most relevant to their specific situation.
They may also help people make faster decisions.
What is the appraisal theory of emotion?
This theory suggests that emotions step from the cognitive evaluations that people make about specific events.
In other words, it implies that people must think about a situation before having an emotional response.
A Word From Verywell
As you have learned, our emotions serve a wide variety of purposes.
Emotions can be fleeting, persistent, powerful, complex, and even life-changing.
2015;66:799-823. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115043
Hwang H, Matsumoto D.Functions of emotions.
In: Biswas-Diener R, Diener E, eds.Noba Textbook Series: Psychology.DEF Publishers; 2021.
2016;4. doi:10.3389/frym.2016.00016
Damasio AR.Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain.Putnam; 1994.
Darwin C.The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals(3rd edition).
Goleman D.Emotional Intelligence.Bantam Books; 1995.
2005;22(6):613-622. doi:10.1089/neu.2005.22.613