What are emotions?

Emotions are considered a type of internal state that controls behavior and should be viewed from a neurobiological perspective rather than merely a psychological one. According to Dr. David Anderson, emotions are akin to arousal, motivation, and sleep, which all alter how the brain processes and responds to stimuli. He defines emotions as neurobiological processes that govern behavior, distinguishing them from feelings that are subjective experiences we can only study in humans due to language. Emotions are like the submerged part of an iceberg, while feelings are the visible tip above water 1 .

The understanding of emotions is still under scientific debate, and there is no consensus on a precise definition. Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett points out that although we are familiar with feelings such as happiness or sadness, scientists cannot agree on the essential components of emotions. Barrett argues that none of the building blocks thought to constitute an emotion are specific to emotions alone. Also, she mentions that previously, scientists believed there would be diagnostic patterns of physical responses and facial expressions for each emotion, like an increase in heart rate for fear or a specific facial expression for anger. However, empirical evidence doesn't support distinct physical markers for each emotion, which remains a puzzle for scientists - how we distinctly experience emotions like anger, sadness, or happiness without specific physical markers 2 .