The Notion of Emotion

How does emotion function?

Emotion is such a common element of humanity, that its functionality is often taken for granted. But perhaps it should be more distinctly analysed and understood. Assuming emotion was developed through evolution, it should have a cause and effect, developed with a benefit for survival and reproduction. Happiness would be basically a positive reinforcement method, and sadness, fear and pain would basically be a negative reinforcement method.

Happiness would have developed to reward circumstances beneficial for survival and reproduction. Food that tastes good, causes enjoyment as reinforcement to continue eating more food which proved to be helpful to the species in those circumstances. Exercise causes a sensation of reward, as it makes the body healthier. Sex is bliss, as it enables reproduction and survival of the species. In some species, there’s a natural inclination of accomplishment, causing ambition and task motivation, since exploring or solving problems often results in finding easier methods to survive.

Sadness is naturally the effect of lacking something which would help survive. Loneliness would be a lack of assistance from others of the same species, in animals which survive better in a group. Fear is triggered by conditions which endanger the individual, causing high risk. Physical pain simply reinforces the individual to avoid causing themselves physical harm.

These emotions are natural and instinctual. They are pre programmed by genetics to be triggered by a range of circumstances. The boundaries of the range of circumstances which trigger emotional feedback, have been proven over many generations to repeatedly be beneficial for survival of that species. The brain is programmed for each emotion, to react to the range of circumstances, when sensory input detects a near enough resemblance to a situation which should be avoided or pursued. For eg. a person receives sensory input, via sight, of the resemblance of a large animal in a dark forest, and instinctively feels fear as encouragement to run. Or a person receives the sense of taste, resembling fruit, and naturally receives positive reinforcement of enjoyment, to cause them to pursue eating that food, which was proven to be beneficial for health.

In my previous post; Memory Priority, I touched on how emotion also has a significant influence on memory. Through an individual's’ subjective memory of experience in their lifetime, the emotional feedback triggers allow a customized set of reactions to particular circumstances. After an individual experiences scenarios where the emotional feedback is triggered, they are reinforced to avoid or pursue more detailed and specific sensory input linked with those circumstances. This is basically subconscious (and potentially conscious) memory of their experiences, where emotions have triggered positive or negative feedback, based on more specific factors.

Emotions are the default, built-in reinforcement triggers, developed over long periods of generations, for those broad ranges of circumstances, which can be triggered by basic resemblances detected by sensory input. Along with those instinctive, basic scenarios which cause emotional feedback, emotions also allow more specific and accurate reinforcement, as a result of subconscious memory, throughout an individual's experience. Emotion seems to be included in very practical and functional processes. The notion of which, should be quite useful to be understood.