Emotions

According to Karla McLaren and other experts, there are important differences between feelings and emotions, even though the terms are often used interchangeably:

• Emotions are the raw, instinctual reactions and physiological responses we have to stimuli. They originate in primitive parts of the brain like the amygdala and are often unconscious.
• Emotions are universal across cultures and include core emotions like happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise. They cause physical sensations like increased heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, etc.
• In contrast, feelings arise when we consciously experience and cognitively label emotions. Feelings originate in the neocortex of the brain.
• Feelings are shaped by an individual’s experiences, memories, beliefs, and cultural background. Different people can experience the same core emotion but label the feeling differently.
• For example, two people may experience the emotion of fear, but one may feel “anxious” while another feels “excited” depending on their appraisal of the situation.
• Emotions are more general while feelings are more specific. The core emotion of anger could be experienced as feeling annoyed, irritated, furious, rageful, etc.

So in summary, emotions are the raw, instinctual responses we have, while feelings are the conscious, cognitive labeling of emotions shaped by our individual differences. Emotions come first and are universal, while feelings come second and are highly personalized.

McLaren emphasizes that emotions provide crucial information and that learning their language - the specific feelings they evoke in us - allows us to use that information effectively rather than being controlled by unconscious emotional reactions.

— #genAI/perplexity

• “Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.” - ELIZABETH GILBERT

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