Meet your personal messengers: emotions (video)
Emotions are complex psychological states that deeply influence our feelings and actions. By better understanding them, you can make wiser decisions and live a more balanced life.
In the first video of this course, psychologist Paul Hessels will break down the three integral components of emotions and delve into the question: Why do we experience uncomfortable emotions?
What are emotions?
In the first video of this course, psychologist Paul Hessels will break down the three integral components of emotions and delve into the question: Why do we experience uncomfortable emotions?
💡 Key takeaways
We can break down an emotion into three main components:
• Subjective Experience: This is your personal and individual reaction to situations, influenced more by your interpretation than the situation itself.
• Physiological Response: This is your body’s automatic response to emotions, which can be felt physically, like a knot in your stomach when you’re feeling anxious.
• Behavioral Response: This is how you express your emotions externally, which can be seen through actions, facial expressions, or body language.
Emotions act as your personal messengers, helping you to understand your inner world and how you react to life’s ups and downs.
🖊️ Exercise: identifying your emotions reflection
Let’s practice identifying the three components of your emotions. Reflect on a recent time when you experienced an intense emotional reaction, and answer the following questions:
• Subjective Experience: How did you perceive or interpret the situation that triggered your emotional response?
• Physiological Response: Can you recall your body’s physical sensations at that moment?
• Behavioural Response: How did you express this emotion through actions, facial expressions, or body language?