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Start for freeUnderstanding Emotions: The Brain's Predictive Power
The human brain, a guessing machine trapped in the darkness of the skull, continuously faces an inverse problem: it must guess the causes of the sensory signals it receives to stay alive. This process is not a linear sequence of stimulus, evaluation, and reaction; rather, the brain preemptively forms motor plans—internal and external actions—to prepare for what it predicts will happen next. These predictions are based on past experiences, and the brain categorizes these potential futures using a dynamic, evolving process.
The Role of Language in Emotional Categorization
Contrary to popular belief, emotions aren't preformed states that we then label with language. Instead, the brain constructs categories of possible actions, heavily influenced by the words we've learned. Words are low-dimensional features that stand in for high-dimensional sensory and motor patterns. For instance, 'anger' might represent a vast array of bodily and facial responses that vary by situation. Learning more words from diverse cultures for emotional states can expand our emotional granularity, allowing for more nuanced interpretations and responses to our experiences.
The Concept of Affect: A Barometer of Bodily State
Affect is a general barometer of the body's internal state, often summarized as feeling pleasant/unpleasant or worked up/calm. While it doesn't equate to emotion, affect sets the stage for the brain to weave narratives about the causes of these bodily sensations, thus forming emotions. Affect is a constant feature of consciousness, sometimes foregrounded, other times backgrounded, but always present and influencing our potential emotional responses.
Emotions as Recipes for Action
Emotions emerge from the brain's predictive regulation of the body, acting as recipes for action. They are stories the brain tells about the sensory signals received, guiding us on what to do next. Interestingly, the sequence we often assume—feeling an emotion and then acting—is reversed; action plans precede and give rise to the experience of emotions.
The Flexibility of Emotional Responses
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with emotions. Flexibility is key. Sometimes it's advantageous to 'feel our feelings', as they can be instructive and guide us through uncertainty or challenge. Other times, it's beneficial to 'use our words' or engage in activities like running to shift our emotional state. Developing emotional intelligence involves understanding when to construct an emotion and when it might be wiser to experience the raw physical sensations without elaborating them into a full-blown emotional narrative.
The Power of Knowledge
Understanding the brain's processes in forming emotions is empowering. By adding dimensionality to our experiences and expanding our emotional vocabulary, we can interact with the world in richer and more adaptive ways. This knowledge enables us to take an unpleasant feeling and work with it, altering our perception and response to fit the situation more appropriately.
For a deeper dive into the fascinating world of emotions and the brain's predictive mechanisms, watch the full discussion with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett hosted by Andrew Huberman on the Huberman Lab podcast: Understanding Emotions with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett.
