When we speak of emotions, we tend to assume that all people
have a standard set of emotions – anger, fear, sadness, disgust, curiousity,
happiness. Some psychologists wonder if how we distinguish one emotion from
another might be based on experience and context. A person might label the same
reaction “surprise” one time and “fear” another time, based on the
circumstances each time.
This could
have implications for therapy. If you tell your therapist you’re angry that
your partner left you, the therapist might suggest that you’re sad. The
interpretation might be helpful, or not, in discussing the situation. People
who have several words for anger (irritation, rage, hostility) perceive their
emotional states more accurately and can better regulate their emotions as a
result.
Can you
identify for yourself is your internal state is caused by an emotion or by
something physical such as fatigue or low blood sugar levels? When identifying
your internal state try to avoid using generalizations like “I feel great” or
“I feel terrible”. Rather, expand your emotional vocabulary by learning the
difference for yourself between frightened and worried, between nervous and
excited. In doing so, you’ll be improving your emotional intelligence.
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