Emotions as Decision Heuristics
Notes
Emotions are not something we should ignore or dismiss, but rather tools to point at a certain decision we should make, an additional source of information we should consider.
Emotions are one of the main tool by which the brains tries to be "lazy" and save resources. It tries to predict what it thinks going to happen, and the way we should act in the present to prepare for it. For example, that's why we experience Stress before something happens, because the brain believes that by experiencing stress, we prepare the body for a scenario in advance so that we would have better outcomes.
That is why emotions are something that should be embraced, and not ignored. Being stressed, angry or sad are not "bugs" in our minds, it's our mind's way of trying to help us. It wants us to succeed, not suffer. By accepting emotions, we both gain valuable information, we remove the negativity of the experience by changing our perspective on them, while also reducing their power over us, or using them for our benefit.
When emotions are information and nothing more, we are less likely to be hijacked by them, because they will go as they came, in a minute or less.
Additionally, emotions serve our wellbeing in a very complicated way. They are more than just tools for basic physical survival, now in the modern era they serve mostly as tools for social survival. Emotions, as with other aspects of human behavior are taught, not built. They are meant to serve as tools to navigate ourSocial Environment, that is why it is highly Context dependent. Our brain comes ready to fill itself with new connections based on the signals we get from the environment. This gives us flexibility far beyond whichever hard coded rules that biology can offer. Adaptability
That is why we tend to mirror each other's emotions, because we wish to be in sync with those around us. Sharing other's happiness is beneficial for our social status, while copying other's reactions for injustice can help us maintain the group's norms.
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Overview
🔼Topic:: Emotions (MOC) ↩️Origin:: 🔗Link::