Physiological bases of emotions: concept, properties and regularities. Theory, motivation and types of emotions

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

The human body is a complex system of connections and reactions. Everything works according to certain schemes, which amaze with their methodicalness and complexity. At such moments, you begin to be proud of what a complex chain of interactions leads to a feeling of joy or grief. I don’t want to deny any emotions anymore, because they all come for a reason, everything has its own reasons. Let's take a closer look at the physiological basis of feelings and emotions and begin to better understand the process of our own existence.

Concepts of feelings and emotions

Emotions cover a person under the influence of a situation or any external stimuli. They come quickly and go just as quickly. They reflect our subjective evaluative thinking in relation to the situation. In addition, emotions are not always recognized; a person experiences the effect of them, but does not always understand their effect and nature.

For example, someone said a lot of nasty things to you. Your logical reaction to this is anger. About how it is perceived and what is caused, we will learn a little later. Now let's focus directly on emotions. You feel angry, you want to respond somehow, to defend yourself with something - this is an emotional reaction. As soon as the irritant disappears, the anger will quickly end.

Feelings are another matter. They are generated, as a rule, by a complex of emotions. They develop gradually, expanding their influence. Feelings, unlike emotions, are well understood and perceived. They are not a product of the situation, but demonstrate an attitude towards an object or phenomenon as a whole. To the outside world, they express themselves directly through emotions.

For example, love is a feeling. It is expressed through emotions such as joy, emotional attraction, etc. Or, for example, a feeling of hostility is characterized by hatred, disgust and anger. All these emotions, being expressions of feelings, are directed to the outside world, to the object of feelings.

Important moment! If a person has this or that feeling, then this does not mean at all that the object of this feeling will not be subjected to third-party emotions. You can, for example, experience irritation or anger towards a loved one. This does not mean at all that the feeling of love has been replaced by hostility. This is simply a reaction to some external stimulus, which does not necessarily come from the object to which love is directed.

Types of feelings and emotions

Initially, feelings and emotions are sharedinto positive and negative. This quality is determined by the subjective assessment of a person.

Further, according to their essence and principle of influence, they are divided into sthenic and asthenic. Sthenic emotions encourage a person to take action, enhance practical mobilization. These are, for example, various kinds of motivation, inspiration and joy. Asthenic, on the contrary, "paralyze" a person, weaken the work of the nervous system and relax the body. This is, for example, panic or frustration.

By the way, some feelings, such as, for example, fear, can be both sthenic and asthenic. That is, fear can either make a person mobilize, act, or paralyze and demobilize.

Further division occurs on strong/weak and short-term/long-term. Such properties of feelings and emotions directly depend on the subjective perception of a person.

The concept of the basics of emotions from the point of view of physiology

In short: the physiological foundations of emotions completely determine the process of sensory perception. In more detail, we will consider each aspect separately and draw up a complete picture.

Emotions have a reflex essence, that is, they always imply the presence of a stimulus. A whole mechanism accompanies emotion from perception to manifestation. These mechanisms are called in psychology the physiological foundations of emotions and feelings. They involve various body systems, each of which is responsible for a specific result. In fact, all this forms a wholea well-functioning system for receiving and processing information. Everything is almost like in computers.

Subcortical mechanisms

The lowest level of the physiological foundations of emotions and feelings are subcortical mechanisms. They are responsible for the physiological processes and instincts themselves. As soon as a certain excitation enters the subcortex, the corresponding reaction immediately begins. To be specific: various kinds of reflexes, muscle contractions, a certain emotional state are provoked.

Autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system, on the basis of certain emotions, sends excitatory signals to the organs of internal secretion. For example, the adrenal glands release adrenaline in stressful and dangerous situations. The release of adrenaline is always accompanied by such phenomena as blood flow to the lungs, heart and limbs, acceleration of blood clotting, changes in cardiac activity, and increased release of sugar into the blood.

First and second signal systems

In order to move on to cortical mechanisms, a rough understanding of the first and second signaling systems and the dynamic stereotype is necessary. Let's start with systems.

The first signaling system is characterized by perceptions and sensations. It is developed not only in humans, but also in all animals. These are, for example, visual images, taste reminders and tactile sensations. For example, the appearance of a friend, the taste of an orange, and touchinghot coals. All this is perceived through the first signal system.

The second signaling system is speech. It is only in a person and therefore only a person is perceived. In fact, this is any reaction to the spoken words. At the same time, it is inextricably linked with the first signaling system and does not function by itself.

Example, we hear the word "pepper". By itself, it does not carry anything, but in conjunction with the second signal system, meaning is formed. We imagine the taste, features and appearance of pepper. All this information, as already mentioned, is perceived through the first signal system and remembered.

Or another example: we hear about a friend. We perceive speech and before our eyes his appearance appears, we remember his voice, gait, etc. This is the interaction of two signal systems. Later, based on this information, we will experience certain feelings or emotions.

Dynamic stereotype

Dynamic stereotypes are some behavioral sets. Conditioned and unconditioned reflexes form a certain complex. They are formed by the constant repetition of any action. Such stereotypes are quite stable and determine the behavior of an individual in a given situation. In other words, it is something like a habit.

If a person performs certain actions at the same time for a long period, for example, doing gymnastics in the morning for two years, then a stereotype is formed in him. The nervous system facilitates the work of the brain by rememberingthese actions. Thus, there is less consumption of brain resources, and it is freed up for other activities.

Cortical mechanisms

Cortical mechanisms control the autonomic nervous system and subcortical mechanisms. They are decisive in the concept of emotions and their physiological basis. These mechanisms are considered to be the main ones in relation to the last two. They form the concept of the physiological foundations of emotions and feelings. It is through the cerebral cortex that the basis of human higher nervous activity passes.

Cortical mechanisms perceive information from signaling systems, transforming them into an emotional background. Emotions, in the context of cortical mechanisms, are the result of the transition and functioning of dynamic stereotypes. Therefore, it is precisely in the principle of the work of dynamic stereotypes that the basis of various emotional experiences lies.

General patterns and principle of operation

The system described above functions according to special patterns and has its own principle of operation. Let's take a closer look.

First, external or internal stimuli are perceived by the first and second signal systems. That is, any speech or sensation is perceived. This information is transmitted to the cerebral cortex. After all, we remember that it is the cortical part that connects with the signaling systems, perceiving pathogens from them.

Next, the signal from the cortical mechanisms is transmitted to the subcortexand the autonomic nervous system. Subcortical mechanisms form instinctive behavior in response to a stimulus. That is, complicated unconditioned reflexes begin to work. For example, you want to run away when you're scared.

The vegetative system causes corresponding changes in the processes in the body. For example, the outflow of blood from the internal organs, the release of adrenaline into the blood, etc. As a result, changes in the physiology of the body appear, leading to various reactions: muscle tension, heightened perception, etc. All this serves to help instinctive behavior. In case of fear, for example, it mobilizes the body for a forced march.

These changes are then again transmitted to the cerebral cortex. There they are in contact with the existing reactions and act as the basis for the manifestation of a particular emotional state.

Patterns of feelings and emotions

For feelings and emotions, there are some patterns that determine the way of functioning. Let's look at a few of them.

We all know that doing something all the time gets boring quickly. This is one of the basic patterns of feelings. When the irritant constantly and for a long time affects a person, the feeling is dulled. For example, after a week of work, a person experiences a blissful feeling from rest, he likes everything, and he is happy. But if such a rest continues for the second week, then the feelings begin to dull. And the longer the stimulus continues its effect, the less vividly the feeling is felt.

Feelings evokedone stimulus are automatically transferred to the entire class of similar objects. Now all the things that are homogeneous with the stimulus that evoked the emotion are attributed to the experienced feeling. For example, a man was cruelly deceived by one dishonorable woman and now has hostile feelings towards her. And then bam! Now for him all women are dishonorable, and he feels a hostile attitude towards all. That is, the feeling was transferred to all objects homogeneous with the stimulus.

One of the most famous patterns is sensory contrast. Everyone knows that the most pleasant rest is after hard work. This, in fact, is the whole principle. Opposite feelings that alternately arise under the influence of different stimuli are felt much more acutely.

Next, consider the physiological foundations of memory, attention and emotions. They are directly related to today's topic and will greatly advance us in understanding physiology in general.

Physiological basis of memory

The physiological basis of memory is the nervous processes that left traces of reaction in the cerebral cortex. This primarily means that any processes caused by external or internal stimuli do not pass without a trace. They leave their imprint, forming a blank for future reactions.

Physiological foundations and psychological theories of emotions make it clear that the processes in the cerebral cortex during memory are identical to the processes during perception. That is, the brain does not see the difference between immediate action and memory oridea of him. When we remember a learned equation, the brain perceives it as another memorization. That is why they say: "Repetition is the mother of learning."

Such a thing, of course, will not work with exercise. For example, if every day you imagine how you lift a barbell, muscle mass will not increase. After all, the identity between perception and memory occurs precisely in the cerebral cortex, and not in muscle tissues. So this physiological basis of memory only works for the contents of the skull.

And now about how the reactions of the nervous system affect memory. As already mentioned, all reactions to stimuli are remembered. This leads to the fact that when confronted with the same stimulus, the corresponding dynamic stereotype will be activated. If you touch a hot kettle once, your brain will remember it and will not want to do it a second time.

Physiological basis of attention

Nerve centers of the cerebral cortex always function with different intensity. Observations show that the most optimal method for a particular activity is always chosen. It is formed, of course, from experience, memory and stereotypes.

Physiology understands by attention the high intensity of the work of one or another part of the cerebral cortex. Thus, since, on the basis of experience, the optimal level of functioning of a certain nerve center is selected, then attention, as the intensity of a section of the cortex, increases. In this wayfor a person, the most optimal, from the point of view of subjective perception, conditions are created.

Physiological basis of motivation

Earlier we have already mentioned sthenic and asthenic emotions. Motivation is just a sthenic feeling. It encourages action, mobilizes the body.

Scientifically, the physiological foundations of motivation and emotion are formed from needs. Such a desire is processed by subcortical mechanisms, put on a par with complicated instincts and enters the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres. There it is processed as an instinctive desire, and the brain, using the influence of the autonomic system, begins to look for ways to satisfy the need. It is due to this functioning of the body that resources are mobilized, and things are much easier.