The Gray Area with Sean Illing Best of: We don’t just feel emotions. We make them.
Jan 7, 2021
In this engaging discussion, psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett delves into her groundbreaking research on emotions. She argues that emotions aren’t hardwired but constructed by our minds through experiences. Barrett reveals how understanding this can reshape personal reflection, emotional awareness, and even cultural norms. She discusses the intricate relationship between emotions and bodily sensations, the influence of culture on grief, and how societal perceptions affect mental health. Her insights challenge the way we view emotional expression and its complexities.
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Active Perception
- Sensory perception is not a passive reception but an active construction.
- Our brains create meaning by combining external stimuli with internal concepts.
Types of Reality
- Reality includes perceiver-independent facts (like the existence of the Atlantic Ocean) and perceiver-dependent facts (like national boundaries).
- Perceiver-dependent facts are real because of collective agreement and can have significant consequences.
Body Budgeting and Affect
- Our brains constantly regulate our bodies, managing resources like glucose and oxygen.
- We experience these internal sensations as simple feelings (affect), not as distinct emotions.
