10 Surprising Psychological Facts About Feelings And Emotions
Human beings are emotional beings, and for that reason We can seem irrational at times
In fact, our most emotional part influences us even when making important decisions. Antonio Damasio already said it: “emotion is a necessary ingredient in almost all the decisions we make.” The truth is that strong emotions and feelings are capable of moving the world. Therefore, today’s post is dedicated to this topic.
10 psychological facts about the feelings and emotions of human beings
1. Without realizing it, we are affected by other people’s moods
Almost without realizing it, we are deeply affected by other people’s moods. Experts call this phenomenon “emotional contagion.” This is a natural process in which mirror neurons participate, and which allow us to reflect the emotions of other people, as concluded by research by Ginger Blume carried out in 2007.
2. Emotional pain hurts just like physical love
In recent years, neuroimaging studies have shown that Regions involved in processing physical pain overlap those related to emotional pain and social distress (Jaffe, 2013).
3. There is a phobia of falling in love: Philophobia
The fear of being in love is called Philophobia. This condition is part of anxiety disorders and affects the social and emotional life of the person who suffers from it. In severe cases, the philophobic may not only avoid potential loves, but may stop interacting with co-workers, neighbors, friends and family.
4. When we hug, we release oxytocin
Do you know why hugs feel so good? Because When we hug, we release a hormone called oxytocin This hormone is of great importance in building trust and plays an important role in social interactions. Reptiles release oxytocin during sexual intercourse, but mammals produce it all the time. That’s why reptiles stay away from other reptiles except when mating, while mammals form attachments to family members, litters, or flocks.
5. Different everyday experiences can exhaust one’s ability to resist moral temptations
Do we always act the same when faced with temptations? It seems it is not the case. A study (Kouchaki, 2013) states that People are more likely to have less self-control when they are tired On the other hand, another study concluded that people have less self-control as the workday progresses (Barnes et al. 2014).
These results could be linked to another study, from Florida State University, which states that restoring glucose to an optimal level usually improves self-control. And it turns out that in 2009, Stanford University School of Medicine found that circadian rhythms are directly related to the mechanism that processes blood sugar. Therefore, fatigue could be associated with a decrease in willpower in the face of immoral temptations.
This could happen both ways. That is, people would tend to behave immorally when they are tired due to a lack of self-control. But a lack of self-control can also affect people, causing them to let their guard down and succumb to immoral temptations.
6. Parental emotional desensitization can be bad for children
The desensitization is defined as decreased emotional responsiveness to a negative or aversive stimulus after repeated exposure the same. In a recent study, it was shown that when parents become desensitized to violence and sex in movies, they become more permissive about their children’s exposure to these types of movies (Romer, 2014).
7. Chocolate is the drug of love
Chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac, but it has also been called the drug of love. And it is not precisely because we are used to giving chocolates along with some flowers to show love to our partner. But then what is the reason? Well, chocolate contains tryptophan, a chemical that helps produce serotonin, the neurotransmitter related to happiness, and plays an important role in mood, emotional well-being and the correct balance of appetite and sleep.
In addition, chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a neurotransmitter that participates in promoting attraction, and stimulates brain areas related to pleasure. In heartbreak, the levels of these two substances decrease. That’s why, When a romantic partner leaves us, we gorge ourselves on chocolate to make up for this deficit
8. Psychological science affirms that there are four emotions and not six
Ever since American psychologist Paul Ekman first proposed that there were a total of six basic emotions, this has been the popular belief. According to Ekman, the emotions were: sadness, happiness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust
Now, a study published in Current Biology and carried out by researchers at Glasgow University, in the United Kingdom, states that there are 4 basic emotions.
9. Mirror neurons are related to empathy
Mirror neurons are key to the harmonization of individuals with the environment, since they allow us to capture the emotions of others, not through conceptual reasoning but through direct experience. The reason you blush when you see someone when they are being humiliated, or that you identify with a person when they are crying, is because of mirror neurons. Ramachandran states that these neurons give us the capacity to be empathetic, that is, they make us feel what others feel.
10. Laughter and humor are a form of therapy
There are many types of psychological therapy that exist. One of them is laughter therapy, an alternative therapy that consists of creating situations that encourage laughter and humor In this way it is possible to relieve physical and emotional tensions. The benefits of laughter therapy are many.
