Mapping How Emotions Manifest in the Body
A new study by Finnish researchers published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, suggests that our emotions do indeed tend to influence our bodies in consistent ways.
Across five experiments, 701 participants “were shown two silhouettes of bodies alongside emotional words, stories, movies, or facial expressions. They were asked to color the bodily regions whose activity they felt increasing or decreasing while viewing each stimulus.”
The emotions were generated by having the subjects read short stories or watch movies. On a blank, computerized figurine, they were then asked to color in the areas of their body where sensations became stronger (the red and yellow) or weaker (blue and black) when they felt a certain way.
The mapping exercise produced what you might expect: an angry hot-head, a happy person lighting up all the way through their fingers and toes, a depressed figurine that was literally blue (meaning they felt little sensation in their limbs). Almost all of the emotions generated changes in the head area, suggesting smiling, frowning, or skin temperature changes, while feelings like joy and anger saw upticks in the limbs—perhaps because you’re ready to hug, or punch, your interlocutor.
Meanwhile, “sensations in the digestive system and around the throat region were mainly found in disgust,” the authors wrote. It's worth noting that the bodily sensations weren't blood flow, heat, or anything else that could be measured objectively—they were based solely on physical twinges subjects said they experienced.
Source:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/mapping-how-emotions-manifest-in-the-body/282713/
Reference:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2013/12/30/body-atlas-reveals-where-we-feel-happiness-and-shame/#.UsKqmNIW3_E
Gif via echophon
in my g+ it cycles through all that pictures about 3 times per second. for those with the same issue - please click on the source URL: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/mapping-how-emotions-manifest-in-the-body/282713/
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing top this research. .. of course there will be a correlation between descriptions of feelings and body reasons. .. simply because we have been directed to those correlations through culture all of our lives. .. rubbish if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteEmotional states are universally associated with certain bodily sensations, regardless of individuals’ culture or language, I think was a good exercise.
ReplyDeleteCorina Marinescu really? Have you researched isolated communities to find out if they have the same associations? Not so long ago hysteria in women was associated with a loose womb that would move around the body freely. .. I'm sure if you made the same question back them they would associate the two together.
ReplyDeleteUmmm Duarte Molha I have not researched isolated communities, but have you?
ReplyDeleteActually, female hysteria was associated with a wide array of symptoms as you know.
But we are not talking about a condition here we are talking about emotions.
I have to agree with this study...most of these emotions are perceived by humans the same.
There's no difference if you live in Hawaii or Hungary, happiness is perceived in the same way. Like I said, was a good exercise.
Corina Marinescu no i have not studied isolated communities. .. and I'm not saying that we humans do not have strong associations between feelings and body. .. what I'm trying to criticise is the lack of proper controls that any correct scientific study has to have to get to valid conclusions. .. In this case an isolated community would act as a negative control for cultural associations. ..
ReplyDeletePoint taken Duarte Molha
ReplyDeleteWow, so mood stones were legitimate. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's so many moods being displayed so quickly!
ReplyDeleteI hope there's a cure for that!
yes - either URL provided in the post or IrfanView and disassembling the GIF :)
ReplyDeleteçok güzel bir araşırma :)
ReplyDelete