Nature of Emotions

Communication 110Interpersonal

Dr. Marquita ByrdCommunication Studies Department

San Jose State Universitybyrd.marquita@yahoo.com

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

What’s Love, but a Second Hand Emotion? Tina Turner, 1993

Humans Can Respond to the Environment in Four WaysCognitive :ThinkAffective: FeelBehave: ActSpiritual: Immaterial world, Other reality, Inner Life

Emotions are often Absent from Academic DiscussionsConsidered inferior to intellectUncontrollableWeakCauses ConfusionTry to control , ignore or removeImpossible because emotions are a central

part of our psychological filters

Four Components of EmotionsPhysiological changes in autonomic systems: hormones, respiratory, cardiovascularNonverbal face, gestures, posture, movement, eyesCognitive: labelingVerbal expression: what is said

Six Factors Influencing EmotionsPersonalityCultureGender: anger, vulnerability, crying,

expression ofSocial Conventions: how to interpret, what to feel, when to

expressRisks in Self-DisclosureEmotional Contagion

Emotions Exist on a ContinuumNo good or bad emotionsContinuum from Facilitative to Debilitative Facilitative

Debilitative• All emotions can be used in facilitative or

debilitative manners Love, hate, fear, happiness

Fallacious ThinkingErroneous conclusions based upon faulty

information or logicIrrational ThinkingCause us to use emotions in negative ways

Irrational Thinking• Approval• Perfection: self and others• Catastrophic expectations• Helplessness• Control • Wrongness of difficulty• Overgeneralization• Past is inescapable• You do not matter

Rational Emotive ResponsesDoes it do harm: self or othersWhy should it changeMust you always be rightIs it within your power to change itIs it your responsibility or right to change itAre you perfect enough to cast a stoneIs it still relevant todayCan you ignore the small stuff

Guidelines for Expressing EmotionsRecognize themDifference between thinking, feeling and

actingExpand emotional vocabularyShare multipleRight time, place, person, and motiveTake responsibility: use “I” language not

“You” language• Mindful of how you communicate it• Take a deep breath before you start

ConclusionEmotions are integral to the human

experienceRecognition and management of them is

essential for good livingIncrease your Emotional Quotient

E.Q.