A New Theory of Emotions

Emotions are fundamental to human experience, yet our understanding of them continues to evolve as new research emerges about how the brain and the body work together to inform us of vital information. Researcher Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, has developed a theory that challenges the traditional understanding of emotions and offers a way to steer the course of our experiences with more intention.

Emotions as Constructed Experiences

Consider a common experience: Your heart suddenly starts racing. In one context, this might signal anxiety before a job interview. In another, it could represent excitement at the start of a first date. The physical sensation remains the same, but the emotional interpretation changes dramatically based on context. Lisa’s theory suggests that it is the interpretation of the sensation that ultimately creates the emotion.

The Brain as a Prediction Engine

The brain doesn’t simply react to stimulation. Instead, it:

• Processes incoming sensory signals
• Draws on memories of past experiences
• Predicts and interprets the current circumstances
• Generates an emotional experience based on this complex calculation

Real-World Example: 

Imagine walking down a dark street and hearing a sudden noise behind you. Your brain rapidly combines sensory input (the sound), memory (past experiences of safety or danger), and contextual information to generate an emotional response. Is it fear? Curiosity? Mild concern? The interpretation depends on how your unique brain engages in this predictive process.

Core Affect: The Foundation of Emotional Experience

Core affect is the most basic layer of emotional experience – think of it as the raw, unprocessed emotional energy that underlies all of our more complex emotional states. Unlike specific emotions like anger or joy, core affect represents the most fundamental way our brain experiences and categorises sensations.

The Two Dimensions of Core Affect

1. Valence: The Pleasure-Displeasure Spectrum
Valence describes how pleasant or unpleasant a sensation feels. Imagine this as a sliding scale:

• Extremely Pleasant: Feeling content, comfortable, delighted
• Neutral: Feeling neither particularly good nor bad
• Extremely Unpleasant: Feeling distressed, uncomfortable, overwhelmed

Everyday Example:

• Drinking your favorite coffee might register as highly pleasant.
• Waiting in a long line might feel mildly unpleasant.
• Receiving an unexpected bill might feel strongly unpleasant.

2. Arousal: The Energy Level Dimension
Arousal measures the intensity of your energy or activation level. This dimension ranges from extremely calm to highly energised:

• Deactivated: Feeling calm, relaxed, sleepy, sluggish
• Neutral: Feeling alert but not overwhelmed
• Activated: Feeling excited, anxious, agitated, intense

Everyday Example:

• Sitting in a peaceful garden might represent low activation and high pleasantness.
• Preparing for a job interview could be high activation and somewhat unpleasant.
• Dancing at a concert might be high activation and highly pleasant.

Mapping Emotional Experiences

By combining these two dimensions, you can understand how different emotional states emerge.

Interactive Exploration: Try mapping your current emotional state:

1. How pleasant or unpleasant do you feel right now? (0-10 scale)
2. What is your current energy level? (0-10 scale)
3. Is there an emotion you can think of that might fit both answers?

The beauty of core affect is that it provides a flexible foundation for emotional experience. The same physical sensations can be interpreted differently based on context, personal history, and current circumstances.

Cultural and Learned Emotional Concepts

Emotions are deeply influenced by cultural and social learning. Consider these examples from different cultures:

• In Japanese, “amae” describes a feeling of sweet dependence that doesn’t have a direct English translation.
• Tahitian culture has a concept of “my” – a profound sense of exhaustion that goes beyond simple tiredness.
• In German, the word “schadenfreude” describes the pleasure derived from someone else’s misfortune.

Interoception and Emotional Awareness

Interoception – the ability to interpret internal body signals – plays a crucial role in emotional experience and human development.

Self-Exploration Exercise: Pay attention to these bodily sensations and notice how they might connect to emotions:

• A tightness in your chest
• Butterflies in your stomach
• Tension in your shoulders
• A sudden change in breathing pattern

Each of these can be interpreted differently depending on context. The same stomach flutter might be anxiety before a long flight or anticipation of seeing a loved one after time apart. The identification of an emotion is not necessarily a spontaneous event. It’s helpful to pause in the moment and offer your brain and body the time to engage fully in the predictive process.

Emotion Granularity: A Key to Emotional Intelligence

Emotion granularity refers to the precision with which individuals can identify and label their emotional states.

Practical Example: Instead of saying “I feel bad,” try to be more specific:

• “I’m feeling disappointed about not getting the promotion.”
• “I’m experiencing frustration with this project.”
• “I’m sensing a mix of nervousness and anticipation about the results of the exam.”

The more precisely you can describe your emotional state, the more effectively you can understand and respond to it. This is how we access a greater sense of control and therefore a greater sense of security.

Practical Strategies for Emotional Awareness

1. Expand Your Emotional Vocabulary

• Use an emotion wheel to practice naming and identifying in the moment.
• Watch movies and read literature that explores complex emotional states.
• Discuss emotions with friends from different cultural backgrounds and remain curious about their interpretations.

2. Develop Interoceptive Awareness

• Take moments in your day to bring attention to your body and sensations.
• Offer your body new environmental or physical experiences like dancing or swimming.
• Pay attention to how different environments affect your physical sensations. Do you feel differently in an art gallery vs. a sports arena?

3. Reframe Emotional Experiences
When you notice a strong emotion, ask yourself:

• What context might be influencing this feeling?
• What past experiences might be shaping my interpretation?
• Are there any other ways I might be able to interpret the sensation?

Conclusion

Understanding emotions as constructed experiences may offer a greater sense of empowerment. It suggests that we’re not passive recipients of emotional states, but active participants in creating our emotional experiences. By becoming more aware of how our brains construct emotions, we can develop more nuanced, flexible, and compassionate relationships with our inner emotional landscape.

Primary Sources by Lisa Feldman Barrett

1. Barrett, L. F. (2017). *How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain*. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
2. Barrett, L. F. (2020). “Reconstructing the Past: A Century of Ideas About Emotion in Psychology.” *Emotion Review*, 12(1), 35-46.
3. Barrett, L. F. (2006). “Solving the Emotion Paradox: Categorization and the Experience of Emotion.” *Personality and Social Psychology Review*, 10(1), 20-46.

Supporting Research in Emotion Science

1. Damasio, A. (1994). *Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain*. Putnam Publishing.
2. LeDoux, J. (2015). *Anxious: Using the Brain to Understand and Treat Fear and Anxiety*. Viking Press.
3. Ekman, P. (1992). “An Argument for Basic Emotions.” *Cognition and Emotion*, 6(3-4), 169-200.