AN INTRODUCITON TO

EMOTIONS
The affective component
 AN INTRODUCITON TO

EMOTIONS
The affective component

- What are emotions?

- Which types of emotions do exist?
- What are their functions?
- How do they work?
- The current scenario
Current scenario.
The emotional language.

TASK Name different types of emotions:

“How do you feel?”

We can’t talk about something

that we don’t know
Current scenario.
The emotional language.

Name different types of emotions:

TASK “How do you feel?”

We can’t talk about something

that we don’t know

“El hecho de que en nuestro vocabulario existen

más términos para referirse a emociones
negativas que a emociones positivas, muy
probablemente ello condiciona que seamos
mucho más conscientes de los estados afectivos
negativos que de los positivos y agradables”
 An introduction to emotions
What are emotions?

Limbic system: biological and cerebral structure

Multiple connections between limbic system and neocortex.

For this reason emotions, thinking and behavior are not
separate entities. We just study them separately because it’s
more easy to understand.

Definitions vary somewhat across researchers:

Consensus: emotions are best conceptualized as
multicomponent response tendencies with an adaptive
value. Involve not just subjective feelings but also
attention, cognition, facial expressions, cardiovascular and
hormonal changes.
They have an objective
 An introduction to emotions
What are emotions?

Limbic system: biological and cerebral structure

Multiple connections between limbic system and neocortex.

For this reason emotions, thinking and behavior are not
separate entities. We just study them separately because it’s
more easy to understand.

Definitions vary somewhat across researchers:

Consensus: emotions are best conceptualized as
multicomponent response tendencies with an adaptive
value. Involve not just subjective feelings but also attention
and cognition, facial expressions, cardiovascular and
hormonal changes.
They have an objetive
 An introduction to emotions
What are emotions?

Limbic system: biological and cerebral structure

Multiple connections between limbic system and neocortex.

For this reason emotions, thinking and behavior are not
separate entities. We just study them separately because it’s
more easy to understand.

Definitions vary somewhat across researchers:

Consensus: emotions are best conceptualized as
multicomponent response tendencies with an adaptive
value. Involve not just subjective feelings but also attention
and cognition, facial expressions, cardiovascular and
hormonal changes.
They have an objetive
 An introduction to emotions
What are emotions?

“ L’emoció un estat complex de l’organisme

caracteritzat per una excitació o pertorbació que
predisposa a l’acció. Les emocions es generen com
a resposta a un esdeveniment extern o intern”
(Bisquerra, 2000)
 “Initial point: HOW AM I?”

Mentally
Emotionally
Physically

Markers of people’s overall WB

P E R M A
engagement meaning accomplishment
posi%ve emo%ons posi%ve rela%onships

Related to RELATIONSHIPS
Positive emotions contribute more to
the pleasurable life
 An introduction to emotions
How do emotions work?

In judging life as a whole (Life satisfaction=you get what you

want out of life), date-to-date experiences (positive or
negative emotions) influence our judgements about whether
life is worth living and how satisfying is.
Overall life judgments of happiness are more stable (month-
to-month, year-to-year), but no emotion is built to last.
PE come over like a wave and then they dissipate, and what
matters about PE is not making them last…

LIFE
SATISFACTION EMOTIONS
 An introduction to emotions
How do emotions work?

…but being able to self-generate PE frequently because

it’s a great contributor to HAP

It’s not intensity in PE what matters, but frequency. It

happens the same in social connections (not more people,
but more connected and integrated, authentic, trust and
safety)
 An introduction to emotions
How do emotions work?

Positive emotions can be hedonic (pleasure) but we can make them

meaningful
We can add them values and strengths,
and make them more durable

jiji jaja “I need to share sth with you/

today I felt incredibly great at
work”
An introduction to emotions
Positive emotions.
 Positive emotions.

Positive emotions have been seen as consequence of

happiness or WB. However, they are also the cause of
valuable life outcomes.
They are just “seconds” or “minutes-long” in experience,
but their effects last longer.

Happiness POSITIVE EMOTIONS

POSITIVE Life satisfaction, success at work,

EMOTIONS longer life, improves immune
system, etc.
 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

Explains the mechanics of how PE were important to

survival
They help us build durable
PE are pleasant in the resources for future situations
short time, but they
PE help us explore, learn and
have lasting benefits
create

They expand cognition and behavioral tendencies

They all increase the number of potential options of

behavior (makes us more creative because we
have more possibilities)
 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

Our brief experiences of positive emotions

produces lasting gains in strengths and WB
 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

The BROADEN hypothesis

PE (like joy, enthusiasm, satisfaction, pride…) expand

the capacity of attention and, as a consequence, we
have a widened repertoire of thoughts and actions

NE simply do the opposite: they reduce our capacity of

cognition

“We change while we are experiencing PE”

 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

The BUILD hypothesis

It’s focused on the changes while we are experiencing

PE, which can be:

• Social: expanded social connections, social support

• Intellectual: creativity, mindfulness
• Psychological: resilience, optimism
 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

The UNDO hypothesis

Positive emotion undo (or speed recovery from) the
physiological effects produced by negative emotions
 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

The UNDO hypothesis

Positive emotion have the ability to regulate remaining NE
and their psychological and physiological consequences
 Positive emotions.
The “broaden-and-build theory”
Barbara Fredrickson, 2006

Main functions of PE:

1. Adaptive
2. Complementary to NE
3. Importants for evolution
4. Necessaries
 Positive emotions.
Benefits.

• Health: prevent and reduce illness,

physical health, undo the effects of NE
• Better face adversity
• Resilience and post-traumatic growth
• …

We can only flourish when our

emotional needs are fulfilled !!
An introduction to emotions
Emotional intelligence.
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

WHAT DOES EDUCATION

MEAN FOR YOU?

• Cognitive-behavior
• Emotional

Capacity of adaptation to the environment.

We don’t have the same capacities, and
nowadays is increasing the importance of
emotional competencies
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

EI is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand what's

causing them, and reflect on them for the sake of emotional and
intellectual growth. The idea is that people who are emotionally
intelligent are able to maintain positive mental states because of
their ability to manage their emotions.

“Capacidad para procesar información relacionada con las

emociones, donde la inteligencia y las emociones son los
elementos vertebradores de su trabajo. Tiene que ver con la
habilidad para razonar sobre las emociones y la capacidad
potencial de las emociones para mejorar y guiar el
pensamiento” (Mayer and Salovey, 1997)
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

Mayer and Salovey Model

4 dimensions of EI:

1) Emotional perception: Identify and recognize

the own and others’ feelings. Decoding
emotional signals and discriminating sincere
than fake emotions.

2) Emotional facilitation: Considering our emotions when

we think or solve problems. How the affective component
helps us take decisions, they focus our attention on what
really matters.
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

Mayer and Salovey Model

4 dimensions of EI:

3) Emotional clarity: Putting the name of emotions.

Implies anticipating and retrospecting to identify the
causes and the possible future consequences.

4) Emotional regulation: Most important and difficult.

Reflect about emotional states and using them
properly, trying to increase PE and decrease NE (NE
just when necessary because are sometimes useful)
From intra to interpersonal
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

4) Emotional regulation: Most important and difficult. Reflect about emotiona

states
Mostand
interest
usingwas
them
in properly,
the regulation
tryingoftonegative
increase PE and decrease NE (NE ju
when
emotions.
necessary
However…
because are sometimes useful)
From intra to interpersonal

A B
Savouring Dampening
strategies strategies

Up-regulation (increase) or Down-regulation (decrease) of

maintenance of positive positive emotions.
emotions. Result = Reduce the effects of
Result = Magnify the effects of PE
PE
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

4) Emotional regulation: Most important and difficult. Reflect about emotiona

states and using them properly, trying to increase PE and decrease NE (NE ju
when necessary because are sometimes useful)

A
From intra toSavouring
interpersonal
strategies

Strategies:
(1) behavioural display (expressing PE with non-verbal behaviour such as
laughing),
(2) focusing on the present moment,
(3) capitalizing (sharing and celebrating the positive event with others),
(4) positive mental traveling (remembering or imagining positive events)
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

4) Emotional regulation: Most important and difficult. Reflect about emotiona

states and using them properly, trying to increase PE and decrease NE (NE ju

B
when necessary because are sometimes useful)
Dampening
From intra to strategies
interpersonal

Strategies:
(1) emotional suppression (suppressing expression of PE),
(2) fault-finding (seeking out negative aspects of positive situations or
thinking that things could have been better),
(3) inattention (thinking of matters or engaging in activities unrelated to the
current positive event),
(4) negative mental traveling (engaging in negative memories on the
causes of a positive event with an emphasis on external attribution or
anticipation of negative consequences of a positive situation)
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

4) Emotional regulation: Most important and difficult. Reflect about emotiona

states and using them properly, trying to increase PE and decrease NE (NE ju
when necessary because are sometimes useful)
From intra to interpersonal

A B
Savouring Dampening
strategies strategies

The greater use of savouring The greater use of dampening

strategies is related with strategies is related with less
increased life satisfaction and life satisfaction and positive
positive affect affect
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
What is EI?

Do you remember…?

Subjective wellbeing (SWB) is composed of:

Affect = PA - NA emotional component

Life satisfaction cognitive component

They are related. We need a balance between the

emotional and the cognitive aspect for a “good life”
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
How can we measure EI?

Instrument to
Type Definition of EI
measure EI

Performance-
EI as an ability to perceive, use, Performance
based ability
understand and regulate emotions. EI tests (MSCEIT)
EI
is viewed as a form of intelligence that
is based on emotional aptitudes, and is
regarded as a mental ability that
Self-report Self-reports
involves reasoning about our emotions (TMMS-24)
ability EI

EI as a set of stable traits of social-

Mixed model Self-reports
emotional skills, cognitive abilities and
of EI (Bar-On)
personality
 Emotional intelligence (EI)
How can we measure EI?

Self-reports (TMMS) : Perceived EI

 Interesting resources for you:

The ten feeling states that can lead us to positivity:

https://counselorcarmella.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/dr-fredricksons-10-positive-emotions/

CARTES | Redacció | Actualitzat el 10/12/2015 a les 20:05

?La carta més bonica del món

escrita per un avi a un noi al qual
se li ha mort el seu millor amic “La carta més bonica escrita per un avi a un noi al
qual se li ha mort el seu millor amic”:
http://www.adolescents.cat/noticia/26588/carta/bonica/mon/escrita/avi/noi/
al/qual/se/mort/seu/millor/amic
Flickr Couchabenteurer

Potser alguns de vosaltres heu hagut de viure la mort d'un amic o una amiga. És molt dur i és
inevitable sentir-se trist i fins i tot perdut.

Aquesta és la carta que va rebre un noi, que enfonsat per la mort del seu millor amic, va escriure
un missatge Reddit buscant consell: «El meu millor amic s'ha mort. No sé què puc fer…».
De manera anònima, rebia aquesta carta d'un avi usuari de la xarxa social on li donava consell:

«Bé, aquí va… Sóc vell. Això significa que he sobreviscut -fins ara- i un bon grapat de gent
que he conegut i estimat no ho ha fet. He perdut els meus millors amics, coneguts, companys de
feina, avis, mare, familiars, mestres, mentors, estudiants, veïns, i moltes altres persones. No tinc
fills, i no puc imaginar el dolor que es pot sentir en perdre'n un. Però aquí deixo el meu granet de

Rojas Marco: “Dime qué te hace sentir bien y cómo vas

sorra.

M'agradaria poder-te dir que un s'acostuma a veure morir la gent. Jo mai ho he fet. No vull. Se'm
fa una ferida a l'ànima cada cop que algú que estimo mor, prescindint de les circumstàncies. Però jo
no vull que «no m'importi». No vull que sigui una cosa que simplement passa. Les meves
cicatrius són un testimoni de l'amor i la relació que tenia amb aquesta persona. I si la cicatriu és
profunda, llavors era amor.

a potenciarlo”:
http://www.adolescents.cat/noticia/26588/carta/bonica/mon/escrita/avi/noi/al/qual/se/mort/seu/millor/amic
Pàgina 1 de 2

http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2015/03/15/54f6d94fca4741b20a8b4575.html
EMOTIONS
are the essence of life

“People forget what you did.

People forget what you said.
But they never forget what you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou