An emotion is a physiological reaction to stimulation. It allows us to react to a situation and lasts only a few minutes unfolding in 3 stages :

• Charge : The perception of the stimulus and its interpretation by the amygdala (a small element of the brain essential for decoding emotions) trigger the charge of the emotion.
• Tension : The body mobilizes energy to act or flee. Emotion guides the organism toward an appropriate reaction (expansion, retraction, attraction, rejection, etc.).
• Discharge : Expression phase that allows the body to regain its basic balance. As trembling and crying expel fear from the body, shouting expel anger…

Primary emotions involve a facial change or a universal gesture. Those are the following and all their shades : vigilance, ecstasy, admiration, terror, amazement, grief, loathing, and rage.

<aside> <img src="/icons/search_blue.svg" alt="/icons/search_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Example : Anger arises through all kinds of stimuli specific to each person. It mobilizes costly inner energy through rejection and withdrawal. So that the body does not become exhausted, it is triggered punctually and never lasts more than a few minutes. Without being expressed, it can arouse all kinds of feelings (resentment, nervousness, contrariety).

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Wheel of emotion - Robert Plutchik

<aside> <img src="/icons/light-bulb_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/light-bulb_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> We sometimes tend to confuse emotion with feeling or sensation so here is a quick reminder.

Emotion

→ Caused by a stimulus → Lasts few minutes → Imply physiological reaction

Feeling

→ Mixtures of emotions → Lasts for some time → Can persist without stimulus

Sensation

→ Many factors → As long as stimulus → Emotions information

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