Darwin emotions. Evolutionary theories of emotions. Biological theories of emotion

Motivation of moods, its nature and depth different people very different. The “generalization” of an emotional impression in a mood takes on a different, and even opposite, character, depending on the structure of the personality. As the relationship of the individual with the outside world takes shape and takes shape, and in connection with this, certain areas of special significance and stability are identified in the individual himself, and in connection with this, certain areas of special significance and stability are identified in the individual himself. Not every impression has the power to change the general mood of an individual; for this to happen, it must be related to an area that is particularly significant for the individual. Penetrating into the personality, impressions are subject to a certain filtering, the area in which the formation of mood occurs, i.e. limited, a person becomes less dependent on random impressions, his mood becomes more stable.

K. Izard identified the following basic, “fundamental emotions”:

1. Joy is a positive emotional state associated with the ability to sufficiently fully satisfy an actual need, the probability of which until this moment was small or uncertain.

2. Surprise – an emotional reaction to sudden circumstances that does not have a clearly defined positive or negative sign. Surprise inhibits previous reactions, directing attention to the object that caused it and can arouse interest.

3. Suffering is a negative emotional state associated with received reliable or apparent information about the impossibility of meeting life needs, which previously seemed more likely, most often occurs in the form of emotional stress.

4. Anger is an emotional state, negative in sign, occurring in the form of affect and caused by the sudden appearance of an obstacle on the path to a goal to satisfy a need that is extremely important for the subject.

5. Disgust is a negative emotional state caused by objects, objects, people, circumstances, contact with which (physical interaction, communication in communication) comes into sharp conflict with ideological, moral or aesthetic principles and attitudes of the subject

6. Contempt is a negative emotional state that arises in interpersonal relationships and is generated by a mismatch in the life positions, views and behavior of the subject with the life positions, views, views and behavior of the object of feeling. The latter are presented to the subject as base, not corresponding to accepted moral standards and aesthetic criteria.

The main function of emotions is that we can, without using speech, judge each other’s states and better prepare for joint activities and communication. There are 6 fundamental emotions: joy, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise.

Emotions are relatively weakly manifested in external behavior, but all behavior is associated with emotions, since it is aimed at satisfying a need.

A person’s feelings, on the contrary, are outwardly very noticeable. They distinguish moral, aesthetic, intellectual, practical feelings. Emotions give rise to feelings, which in turn are sources of emotions.

Unlike emotions and feelings, affects occur violently, quickly, and are accompanied by pronounced organic changes and motor reactions.

Some of the emotions can act extremely destructively on a person’s behavior in society, so every person needs to learn to manage emotions and not allow them to destroy a person’s interpersonal relationships in society.

Thus, to summarize, it should be noted that the class of emotions includes a division into so-called “pure emotions” - these are moods, feelings, affects, passions, stress.

The main function of emotions is that we can, without using speech, judge each other’s states and better prepare for joint activities and communication. There are 6 fundamental emotions: joy, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise.

The basic emotional states that a person experiences are divided into emotions, feelings and affects.

Emotions are relatively weakly manifested in external behavior, but all behavior is associated with emotions, since it is aimed at satisfying a need. A person’s feelings, on the contrary, are outwardly very noticeable. They distinguish moral, aesthetic, intellectual, practical feelings. Emotions give rise to feelings, which in turn are sources of emotions. Unlike emotions and feelings, affects occur violently, quickly, and are accompanied by pronounced organic changes and motor reactions.

Passion is a fusion of emotions, motives and feelings concentrated around certain type activity or subject.

Stress is one of the most common types of affects these days, which is a state of excessively strong and prolonged psychological tension that occurs in a person when his nervous system receives emotional overload.

Some of the emotions can act extremely destructively on a person’s behavior in society, so every person needs to learn to manage emotions and not allow them to destroy a person’s interpersonal relationships in society.

Chapter 2. Study of this issue in the works of various authors.

2.1. Charles Darwin's Evolutionary Theory of Emotions

Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory of the origin of emotions, published in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872. It applies the evolutionary principle to psychological development living organism and proves that there is no impassable gap between the behavior of animals and humans. As Darwin showed, anthropoids and children born blind have much in common in the external expression of different emotional states and in expressive bodily movements. These observations formed the basis of his theory. Emotions, according to this theory, appeared in the process of evolution of living beings as vital adaptive mechanisms that contribute to the adaptation of the organism to the conditions and situations of its life. The bodily changes that accompany various emotional states, in particular those associated with the corresponding emotions of movement, according to Darwin, are nothing more than the rudiments of real adaptive reactions of the body. And indeed, the commonality of the emotional expressions of man and, in any case, of the higher animals that stand closest to man is so obvious that it defies any dispute.

2.2. Rudimentary Theory of Emotions Herbert Spencer, Théodule Ribot

Develops an evolutionary idea about the origin of emotions, assessing them from the behavioral sphere. After the publication of Charles Darwin's works, a number of psychologists (partly Herbert Spencer and his students, partly French positivists - Théodule Ribot and his school, partly German biologically oriented psychology) began to develop ideas about the biological origin of human emotions from the affective and instinctive reactions of animals. It is assumed that emotions are residual manifestations of affects that once accompanied full-fledged biological reactions. According to this concept, the expressive movements that accompany our fear are seen as vestigial reactions of flight and defense, and the expressive movements that accompany our anger are seen as vestigial remnants of the movements that once accompanied the attack response in our animal ancestors. Fear began to be viewed as “inhibited flight”, and anger as “inhibited fight”, that is, emotions are positioned as a “fading echo” of elementary behavior programs. The logic of this theory leads to somewhat controversial conclusions about the withering away of emotions as such and does not explain the diversity of the human emotional world.

2.3. Psychoanalytic concept of emotions Sigmund Freud

Psychoanalysis pays attention to the energetic component mental processes, considering the emotional sphere in this regard. Despite the fact that the proposed abstract version of the interpretation of emotions had little to do with the organization of the brain, it later attracted the attention of many researchers who dealt with this problem. According to Sigmund Freud, the subconscious is the source of excess energy, which he defines as libido. The structural content of libido is determined by a conflict situation that took place in the past and is encrypted at the instinctive level. It should be noted that facts indicating pronounced plasticity nervous system, do not fit well with the idea of ​​a “canned” conflict, not to mention the fact that the biological meaning is poorly visible in this hypothesis. Over time, psychoanalysis came to the conclusion that the energy of the “subconscious” is not stored in the structures of the brain as a “developmental defect”, but is a consequence of the appearance of excess energy in the nervous system, as a result of imperfect adaptation of the individual in society. For example, A. Adler believed that most children initially have a feeling of their own imperfection, in comparison with “omnipotent adults,” which leads to the formation of an inferiority complex. Personal development, according to Adler’s views, depends on how this complex will be compensated. In pathological cases, a person may try to compensate for his inferiority complex by striving for power over others.

2.4. Peipetz's structural theory of emotion

The concept of the American neurologist James Peipets, a classic example of a neuropsychological approach to the consideration of emotions, was published in 1937. Studying emotional disorders in patients with damage to the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus, Peipets hypothesized the existence of a single system that unites a number of brain structures and forms the brain substrate for emotions. This system represents a closed circuit and includes: the hypothalamus, the anteroventral nucleus of the thalamus, the cingulate gyrus, the hippocampus and the mamillary nuclei of the hypothalamus. It was called the Peipets circle. Later, in 1952, the structure called the Peipets circle was called the limbic system by Paul McLean (the name took into account that the cingulate gyrus borders the base of the forebrain). The source of excitation of the limbic system is the hypothalamus, the activity of which is modulated by the underlying structures of the midbrain and, through the thalamus, transmits excitation to the cingulate gyrus of the cerebral cortex. According to James Papetz, the cingulate gyrus is the substrate of conscious emotional experiences. Signals from the cingulate cortex, through the hippocampus and mamillary bodies, again reach the hypothalamus, providing feedback to the limbic system. Thus, subjective experiences arising at the level of the cortex control the visceral and motor manifestations of emotions. There are a number of objections to James Papertz's theory. Thus, the experiment showed that stimulation of the human hippocampus electric shock is not accompanied by the appearance of emotions (fear, anger), and subjectively patients experience only confusion.

2.5. James-Lange somatic theory of emotions

The somatic theory of emotions was put forward independently by the American philosopher and psychologist William James and the Danish physician Carl Georg Lange in 1880-1890. The basis for the theory was the analysis of the correspondence between the objective manifestation of activity in the vegetative sphere and the subjective sensation of the experienced emotion. According to this theory, an emotional sensation is a manifestation in the consciousness of functional changes in the body that occur at the level of the autonomic nervous system. External irritation causes reflex changes in the activity of the heart, breathing, blood circulation, muscle tone, as a result of which different sensations are projected into consciousness, from which the experience of emotions is composed. That is, first, under the influence of external stimuli, changes characteristic of emotions occur in the body, and only then, as a consequence, does the emotion itself arise. If autonomic reactions are the cause, and emotions are the effect, in the continuum of interaction between the organism and the environment, then “we are sad because we cry, angry because we strike, afraid because we tremble.” In comparison with the rudimentary theory of emotions, which considers them in the context of elementary behavioral programs, the James-Lange theory touches on deeper mechanisms of behavior, assessing emotions at the preparatory stage, as a set of autonomic reactions that ensure the implementation of a plan of action. It should be noted that in both concepts, emotions are considered somewhat one-sidedly, as an attribute of a small set of innate behavior programs, so it seems that a number of processes of our consciousness are devoid of emotional accompaniment, and accordingly, the inherent richness of the emotional sphere in a person becomes difficult to explain.

A later and scientifically based theory belongs to Charles Darwin. Having published the book “The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals” in 1872, Charles Darwin showed the evolutionary path of development of emotions and substantiated the origin of their physiological manifestations. The essence of his ideas is that emotions are either useful or represent only remnants (rudiments) of various expedient reactions that were developed during the process of evolution in the struggle for existence. An angry person blushes, breathes heavily and clenches his fists because in primitive history, any anger led people to a fight, and this required vigorous muscle contractions and, therefore, increased breathing and blood circulation, ensuring muscle work. He explained the sweating of hands in fear by the fact that in the ape-like ancestors of humans, this reaction in case of danger made it easier to grab tree branches.

Thus, Darwin proved that in the development and manifestation of emotions there is no impassable gap between humans and animals. In particular, he showed that anthropoids and children born blind have much in common in the external expression of emotions.

Biological theories of emotion

Theory P.K. Anokhina.

Anokhin considered emotional states “as a natural fact of nature, as a product of evolution, as an adaptive factor in the life of the animal world.” In doing so, he relied on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He argued that the question boils down only to what, in fact, is the biological and physiological usefulness of emotions in the implementation of body functions. Anokhin argued that in the process of evolution, emotional sensations became entrenched as a kind of tool that keeps the process within its optimal boundaries. Thus, emotions prevent the destructive nature of the deficiency and excessive information about any factors in the life of the body.

The essence of his biological theory is that it states that a positive emotional state of any need arises only if the information about the action taken reflects all the components of the positive result.

Duffy's theory.

Duffy was based on the teachings of Wundt and Spencer, and believed that all human behavior can be explained using the terms of a “single phenomenon” - organismic excitation. Duffy also argued that behavior can change only relative to two vectors: direction, intensity.

Directionality is the selectivity of a response, which is based on the expectations, goals and relationships of the organism with its environment (perceived stimuli emanating from environment). Depending on the meaning of the situation (motivating, threatening), the individual can either obey it or avoid it. Intensity is a consequence of the general excitability of the body, the mobilization of energy.

Duffy considered the measure of intensity to be “the amount of energy released from the tissues of the body.” Duffy considered emotions as a point, or as a set of points on a scale of arousal, therefore, in his theory, the discreteness of emotions can only be considered in the context of intensity.

Theory of W. James - G. Lange

The James-Lange theory is a theory put forward independently by the American philosopher and psychologist W. James and the Danish physician C. G. Lange (1880-90s). According to the James-Lange theory, the emergence of emotions is caused by external influences changes both in the voluntary motor sphere and in the sphere of involuntary acts of cardiac, vascular, and secretory activity. The totality of sensations associated with these changes is an emotional experience. According to James, “We are sad because we weep; we are afraid because we tremble; we are joyful because we laugh.” If James associated emotions with a wide range of peripheral changes, then Lange associated them only with the vascular-motor system: the state of innervation and the lumen of blood vessels. Thus, peripheral organic changes, which were usually considered as a consequence of emotions, were declared to be their cause. The Dems-Lange theory was an attempt to turn emotions into an object accessible to natural study.

This theory, complete from the theoretical side and quite developed, was captivating for two reasons: on the one hand, it really gave a visible natural scientific, biological justification for emotional reactions, and on the other (it did not have the disadvantages of those theories that could not explain why no one needs emotions , the remnants of animal existence, continue to live and from the point of view of retrospective experience turn out to be such important, such significant experiences, closest to the core of the personality.

However, by associating emotions exclusively with bodily changes, she transferred them to the category of phenomena unrelated to needs and motives, and deprived emotions of their adaptive meaning and regulatory function. The problem of voluntary regulation of emotions was interpreted in a simplified way: it was believed that unwanted emotions, such as anger, can be suppressed if one deliberately performs actions characteristic of positive emotions. The main objections to this theory raised in psychology relate to the mechanistic understanding of emotions as a set of sensations caused by peripheral changes, and to the explanation of the nature of higher feelings. Criticism of the James-Lange theory by physiologists (C.S. Sherrington, W. Cannon, etc.) is based on data obtained in experiments with animals. The main ones indicate that the same peripheral changes occur in a variety of emotions, as well as in conditions not associated with emotions.

In response to these reproaches, James announced that organic origin have only “lower” emotions inherited by man from his animal ancestors. This group can include such emotions as fear, anger, despair, rage, but, of course, it is not applicable to such “subtle”, as he puts it, emotions such as religious feeling, the feeling of a man’s love for a woman, aesthetic, intellectual, moral experience etc. Thus, James sharply distinguished between the areas of “lower” and “higher” emotions. But L.S. Vygotsky also criticized this theory for contrasting “lower” emotions, as caused by changes in the body, with “higher” ones, truly human experiences as if it had no material basis.

These theories laid the stone for the construction of a whole series metaphysical theories in the study of emotions. In this respect, the theory of James and Lange was a step back in comparison with the work of Darwin and the direction that directly developed from him.

Cannon's theory.

Experimental attacks on the James-Lange theory were carried out in two directions: from physiological laboratories and from psychological laboratories. Physiological laboratories played a treacherous role in relation to the James-Lange theory, or rather, the book of W. Cannon played it.

Experimental attacks on the theory of James (Lange) were carried out in two directions: from physiological laboratories and from psychological laboratories. Physiological laboratories played a treacherous role in relation to the theory of James and Lange, or rather, the book of W. Cannon played it. He was one of the first to note that the fact that the bodily changes observed during the occurrence of different emotional states are very similar to each other and are insufficient in variety to fully satisfactorily explain the qualitative differences in the highest emotional experiences of a person. Internal organs, with changes in the states of which James-Lange associated the emergence of emotional states, in addition, are insensitive structures that very slowly come to a state of excitation. Emotions usually arise and develop quite quickly. In later studies, it was discovered that of all the brain structures, the most functionally connected with emotions is not even the thalamus itself, but the hypothalamus and the central parts of the limbic system. In experiments conducted on animals, it was found that electrical influences on these structures can control emotional states, such as anger, fear (J. Delgado).

Lindsay-Hebb theory

The psychoorganic theory of emotions (as the James-Lange concept can be conventionally called) received further development under the influence of electrophysiological studies of the brain. On its basis, the Lindsay-Hebb activation theory arose. According to this theory, emotional states are determined by the influence of the reticular formation of the lower part of the brain stem. Emotions arise as a result of disruption and restoration of balance in the corresponding structures of the central nervous system. Activation theory is based on the following basic principles: - The electroencephalographic picture of the brain that occurs during emotions is an expression of the so-called “activation complex” associated with the activity of the reticular formation.

The work of the reticular formation determines many dynamic parameters of emotional states: their strength, duration, variability and a number of others.

Following theories that explain the relationship between emotional and organic processes, theories have emerged that describe the influence of emotions on the human psyche and behavior. Emotions, as it turned out, regulate activity, revealing a very definite influence on it, depending on the nature and intensity of the emotional experience. BEFORE. Hebb was able to experimentally obtain a curve expressing the relationship between the level of emotional arousal of a person and the success of his practical activity. There is a curvilinear, “bell-shaped” relationship between emotional arousal and the effectiveness of human activity. To achieve the highest results in activity, both too weak and very strong emotional arousals are undesirable. For each person (and in general for all people) there is an optimum of emotional excitability, which ensures maximum efficiency in work. The optimal level of emotional arousal, in turn, depends on many factors: on the characteristics of the activity being performed, on the conditions in which it takes place, on the individuality of the person involved in it, and on much more. Too weak emotional arousal does not provide proper motivation for activity, and too strong one destroys it, disorganizes it and makes it practically uncontrollable. In a person in dynamics emotional processes and states, cognitive-psychological factors play no less a role than organic and physical influences (cognitive means related to knowledge). In this regard, new concepts have been proposed to explain human emotions dynamic features cognitive processes.

Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory of the origin of emotions, published in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872. It applies the evolutionary principle to the psychological development of a living organism and proves that there is no impassable gap between animal and human behavior. As Darwin showed, anthropoids and children born blind have much in common in the external expression of different emotional states and in expressive bodily movements. These observations formed the basis of his theory. Emotions, according to this theory, appeared in the process of evolution of living beings as vital adaptive mechanisms that contribute to the adaptation of the organism to the conditions and situations of its life. The bodily changes that accompany various emotional states, in particular those associated with the corresponding emotions of movement, according to Darwin, are nothing more than the rudiments of real adaptive reactions of the body. And indeed, the commonality of the emotional expressions of man and, in any case, of the higher animals that stand closest to man is so obvious that it defies any dispute.

Psychological theories attention
The interesting and contradictory properties of attention attracted the views of many scientists, who explained the origin and essence of attention in different ways. One of the most famous psychological theories of attention was proposed by T. Ribot.

Ribot's theory of attention

He believed that attention, regardless of whether it is weakened or enhanced, is always associated with emotions and is caused by them. Ribot especially assumed close dependence between emotions and voluntary attention. He believed that the intensity and duration of such attention are directly determined by the intensity and duration of the emotional states associated with the object of attention.

Involuntary attention also depends entirely on affective states. “Cases of deep and persistent involuntary attention show all the signs of an indefatigable passion, constantly renewed and constantly thirsting for gratification.”

The state of attention is always accompanied not only by emotional experiences, but also by certain changes in the physical and physiological state of the body. Only on the basis of a detailed and thorough study of such states can one get a clear idea of ​​the mechanisms of attention.

T. Ribot emphasized the importance of physiological connections between mental processes and states, and this circumstance affected his interpretation of attention. Thus, Ribot's theory can be called psychophysiological. Attention, as a purely physiological state, has a complex of vascular, respiratory, motor and other voluntary or involuntary reactions.

Intellectual attention increases blood circulation in the organs of the body engaged in thinking. States of concentrated attention are also accompanied by movements of all parts of the body: face, torso, limbs, which, together with the organic reactions themselves, act as necessary condition maintaining attention at the proper level.
Movement, according to T. Ribot, physiologically supports and enhances this state consciousness. For the senses (vision and hearing), attention means focusing and delaying movements associated with their adjustment and control.

The effort we put into focusing and maintaining attention on something always has an underlying effect. physical basis. It corresponds to a feeling of muscle tension, and subsequent distractions are associated, as a rule, with muscle fatigue in the corresponding motor parts of the receptive systems.

T. Ribot believed that the motor effect of attention is that some sensations, thoughts, and memories receive special intensity and clarity compared to others because all motor activity is focused on them.

The secret of voluntary attention lies in the ability to control movements. By voluntarily restoring movements associated with something, we thereby draw our attention to it. These are character traits motor theory of attention proposed by T. Ribot.

Attitude theory D.N. Uznadze

It may be worth considering a theory that links attention to the concept of attitude. The theory of installation was proposed by D.N. Uznadze and initially concerned a special kind of state of preliminary adjustment, which, under the influence of experience, arises in the body and determines its reactions to subsequent influences.

For example, if a person is given two objects of equal volume, but different in weight, then he will estimate the weight of other identical objects differently. The one that ends up in the hand that previously held the lighter object will this time seem heavier, and vice versa, although the two new objects will actually be identical in all respects. They say that a person who discovers such an illusion has formed a certain attitude towards the perception of the weight of objects.

The attitude, according to D.N. Uznadze, is directly related to attention. Internally, it expresses the state of a person’s attention. This explains, in particular, why, in conditions of impulsive behavior associated with a lack of attention, a person, nevertheless, may experience quite certain mental states, feelings, thoughts, images.

The concept of objectification is also associated with the concept of attitude in Uznadze’s theory. It is interpreted as the selection, under the influence of an attitude, of a certain image or impression received during the perception of the surrounding reality. This image, or impression, becomes the object of attention (hence the name “objectification”).

Concept by P.Ya. Galperin

An interesting theoretical point of view on attention was proposed by P.Ya. Galperin. The main provisions of this concept are as follows:

Attention is one of the moments of orientation-research activity. It is a psychological action aimed at the content of an image, thought, or other phenomenon present in the this moment time in the human psyche.

By its function, attention is the control of this content. Every human action has an orienting, performing and control part. This latter is represented by attention as such.

Unlike other activities that produce a specific product, the activity of control, or attention, does not have a separate, special result.

Attention as an independent, concrete act is highlighted only when the action becomes not only mental, but also abbreviated. Not all control should be considered attention. Control only evaluates the action, while attention helps to improve it.

In attention, control is carried out using a criterion, measure, sample, which creates the opportunity to compare the results of an action and clarify it.

Voluntary attention is systematically carried out attention, i.e. a form of control carried out according to a pre-drawn plan or sample.

In order to form new trick voluntary attention, we must, along with the main activity, offer the person the task of checking its progress and results, developing and implementing an appropriate plan.

All known acts of attention, performing the function of control, both voluntary and involuntary, are the result of the formation of new mental actions.

N. N. Lange identified the following basic approaches to the problem of attention::

1. Attention as a result of motor adaptation. Since we can voluntarily transfer attention from one object to another, then attention is impossible without muscular movements. It is movements that adapt the senses to the conditions of best perception.

2. Attention as a result of limited volume of consciousness. Without explaining what they mean by “volume of consciousness” and what its magnitude is, I. Herbert and W. Hamilton believe that more intense ideas displace or suppress less intense ones.

3. Attention as a result of emotion. This theory, especially developed in English association psychology, indicates the dependence of attention on the interestingness of the presentation. J. Mile pointed out: “Having something pleasant or painful or an idea and being attentive to them is one and the same thing.”

4. Attention as a result of apperception, that is, as a result of the individual’s life experience.

5. Attention as a special active ability of the spirit. Some psychologists take attention to be a primary and active faculty, the origin of which is inexplicable.

6. Attention as an intensification of a nervous stimulus. - attention is caused by an increase in local irritability of the central nervous system.

7. The theory of nervous suppression explains the basic fact of attention - the predominance of one idea over another - by the fact that the underlying physiological nervous process delays or suppresses physiological processes, underlying other ideas and movements, the result of which is the fact of a special concentration of consciousness.

Psychological theories of motivation

The problem of human behavior motivation has attracted the attention of scientists since time immemorial. Numerous theories of motivation began to appear in the works of ancient philosophers, and currently there are already several dozen such theories. The point of view on the origin of human motivation in the process of development of mankind and science has changed repeatedly. However, most scientific approaches have always been located between two philosophical movements: rationalism and irrationalism. According to the rationalistic position, and it was especially clear in the works of philosophers and theologians until the middle of the 19th century, man is a unique being with a special

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In 1972 Ch. Darwin published The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, which was a turning point in understanding the connection between biological and psychological phenomena, in particular, the body and emotions. It was proven that the evolutionary principle is applicable not only to the biophysical, but also to the psychological and behavioral development of living things, that there is no impassable gap between the behavior of animals and humans. Darwin showed that anthropoids and children born blind have much in common in the external expression of different emotional states and in expressive bodily movements. These observations formed the basis of the theory of emotions, which was called evolutionary. Emotions, according to this theory, appeared in the process of evolution of living beings as vital adaptive mechanisms that contribute to the adaptation of the organism to the conditions and situations of its life. The bodily changes that accompany various emotional states, in particular those associated with the corresponding emotions of movement, according to Darwin, are nothing more than the rudiments of real adaptive reactions of the body.

Charles Darwin's theory was developed. G. Spencer and his students, and the French positivists - T. Ribot and his school, as well as German biologically oriented psychology began to develop ideas about the biological origin of human emotions from the affective and instinctive reactions of animals. This is how the Rudimentary Theory of Emotions was formed.

From the point of view of this theory, the expressive movements that accompany our fear are considered to be vestigial remnants of animal reactions during flight and defense, and the expressive movements that accompany our anger are considered to be vestigial remnants of the movements that once accompanied the attack response of our animal ancestors. Fear was seen as inhibited flight, and anger as inhibited fight. In other words, all expressive movements were considered retrospectively.

Thus, it seems that the development curve of emotions is going down. Hence the famous prediction that the man of the future is an unemotional person.

If viewed from the biological side emotional life seemed like the death of an entire sphere mental life, then direct psychological experience, and then experimental research, clearly proved the absurdity of this idea.

Even N. Lange and W. James set themselves the task of finding the source of the vitality of emotions, as James said, “in the human body itself,” and thereby freeing themselves from a retrospective approach to human emotions. James believed that certain physical conditions characteristic of different emotions - curiosity, delight, fear, anger and excitement. The corresponding bodily changes were called organic manifestations of emotions. According to the James-Lange theory, it is organic changes that are the root causes of emotions. Reflected in a person’s head through a feedback system, they generate an emotional experience of the corresponding modality. First, under the influence of external stimuli, changes characteristic of emotions occur in the body, and only then, as a consequence, does the emotion itself arise.

This theory, complete from the theoretical side and quite developed, was captivating for two reasons: on the one hand, it really gave a visible natural scientific, biological justification for emotional reactions, and on the other hand, it did not have the disadvantages of those theories that could not explain why no one needs emotions , the remnants of animal existence, continue to live and from the point of view of retrospective experience turn out to be such important and significant experiences that are closest to the core of the personality.

The psychology of emotions is the entire theory about emotions, collected in psychology: information about the nature, structure, functions and dynamics of emotions or emotional processes. There are many theories and emotions, but Charles Darwin’s theory was historically the first. And until now, it is considered obvious and beyond doubt.

Emotions - origin story

Emotions are an evolutionary adaptation, biologically generalized forms of behavior of an organism in typical situations. It is thanks to emotions that the human body discovers a very advantageous adaptation to environmental conditions, since it can high speed react to it in a certain way emotional state, that is, he can quickly determine whether a given specific influence is beneficial or harmful for him. Affects and emotions often develop not under the influence of a direct sensory impression, but in a more complex mental way, for example, in connection with a memory, but nevertheless, the initial source of change mood or the development of an affective state also in these cases lies in the previously former irritation of the sense organs.

In ancient times there was also a need for more effective way mobilization of the body's forces for survival, as well as motivation and direction physical activity, and brain activity, and for the selection of signals for the perception of the world. Feelings and emotions began to perform these functions in response to the need to survive and understand the world. As a result, the first emotions appeared, which became the basis for all the appearance of other feelings and experiences.

There are a huge number of theories about the origin of feelings and emotions and opinions regarding which emotions should be considered primary and secondary. But usually there are 7: interest, sadness, joy, anger, (anger), fear, disgust, surprise.
We won’t describe them all, we’ll just determine why they are the main ones. Later, the reasons for the emergence of these emotions became more diverse, and the situations in which they manifested themselves became more complex. All these emotions are the basis of our modern feelings, they have different ratios and proportions. For example, the feeling of contempt comes from a mixture of the two emotions of anger and joy. For example, a person is angry at some other person, and at the same time rejoices that he is better; Hatred consists of the emotions of anger at an object, surprise at this object, and at the same time interest in it, etc.

Definition of emotion

C. E. Izard gives the following definition of emotion: “an emotion is something that is experienced as a feeling (feeling) that motivates, organizes and directs perception, thinking and action.” Fear is often called a feeling, since there is no clear and distinct boundary between feelings and emotions.

Often emotions are also called the emotional process, A. N. Leontiev, refers quite big class processes that are related to internal regulation activities. The scientist believes that they reflect the meaning of objects and situations that affect the subject, and the meaning for his existence. A. N. Leontyev defines the emotional process as follows: “in a person, emotions give rise to experiences of pleasure, displeasure, fear, timidity, etc., which serve as orienting subjective signals. The simplest emotional processes are expressed in organic, motor and secretory changes and are among the innate reactions. However, in the course of development, emotions lose their direct instinctive basis, acquire a complex character, differentiate and form diverse types of so-called higher emotional processes: social, intellectual and aesthetic, which in a person constitute the main content of his emotional life.”

Darwin's theory of emotions

C. Darwin at one time put forward a hypothesis that the facial movements of people were formed from “useful” movements. That is, what in the animal world was a reaction that had some adaptive significance, today at the human level is embodied and recognized as an expression of emotions. These can be parts, remnants of “useful” actions and slightly transformed actions. Facial expressions arose precisely from the transformed useful actions, often it appears in the form of a weakened, softened form of these useful movements.

For example, a grin of teeth in rage, anger, a residual reaction from using them in a threat, fight and any aggression, or a smile that expresses friendliness, participation, seems to be the opposite of muscle tension typical of aggressive feelings, but arises from the same useful movements. And trembling, an expression of emotional arousal, is a consequence of muscle tension to mobilize the body, for example, for the escape reaction. Consequently, facial expressions are determined by innate reactions, and it follows that facial mechanisms are closely related to certain emotions.

James-Lange theory of emotions

The James-Lange theory states that an event causes physiological arousal, and then we interpret this arousal. Only after our interpretation of arousal can we experience emotions. If we didn’t notice the excitement, didn’t think about it, blocked it, then we won’t experience any emotions based on this event. Eg. You are walking through a dark square, late at night. And suddenly you hear footsteps behind you, you begin to tremble, your heart begins to beat faster, and your breathing becomes difficult, you become covered in sticky sweat. They felt it and got scared. That is, the person himself noticed these physiological changes in the body, and interpreted them as preparing the body for a scary situation, or a collision with a scary object. And only then, you experience fear.

Cann-Bard theory of emotions

This theory states that we experience physiological arousal and emotional arousal at the same time, but it does not place any emphasis on the roles and external behavior in this process. The example is still the same. You are walking late at night through a dark square, late at night. And suddenly you hear footsteps behind you, you begin to tremble, your heart begins to beat faster, and your breathing becomes labored, you become covered in sticky sweat. And at the same time, as physiological changes occur, at the same time, you experience a feeling of fear.

Schachter-Singer theory

According to this theory, the events themselves cause physiological arousal in the first place. Then, you must determine the cause of this excitement, and only then can you feel fear, or another emotion. You are walking late at night in a dark square, late at night. And suddenly you hear footsteps behind you, you begin to tremble, your heart begins to beat faster, and your breathing becomes difficult, you become covered in sticky sweat. When you find yourself feeling aroused, you realize it's because you're walking alone in the dark. And this behavior is dangerous, and therefore, you feel the emotion of fear.

Appraisal theory of emotions

This theory states that thought must precede any emotion or physiological arousal. In other words, you must first think about the situation before you can experience emotions. For example, you are walking late at night in a dark square, late at night. And you hear steps behind you, and you think it could be a robber or a maniac, and then all the listed or unlisted manifestations of fear appear.

Facial feedback theory

According to this theory, emotions occur due to changes in our facial muscles. In other words, when we smile, we then experience pleasure or happiness. When we frown, we feel sad. This change in our facial muscles and brain create the basis of our emotions. Just as there are a huge number of different manifestations in our face, there is an unlimited number of emotions. For example, we stumbled into this park again. And we hear footsteps behind us, your eyes widen, your pupils narrow, your teeth clench and your brain interprets these facial changes as an expression of fear. Therefore you feel a feeling of fear.