Emotion

Emotion consists of neural circuits (that are at least partially dedicated), response systems, and a feeling state/process that motivates and organizes cognition and action. Emotion also provides information to the person experiencing it, and may include antecedent cognitive appraisals and ongoing cognition including an interpretation of its feeling state, expressions or social-communicative signals, and may motivate approach or avoidant behavior, exercise control/regulation of responses, and be social or relational in nature. Contrast with affect and mood.

Various theories for emotion include: (i) The James-Lange Theory of Emotion; (ii) The Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion, (iii) Schachter-Singer Theory and (iv) The Cognitive-Mediational Model of Emotion.

Emotions are coordinated psychological response systems that interrupt thought and motivate specific behaviours. They are activated in the brain, are linked with bodily reactions, and thoughts that together, influence action. As a response system, emotions also provide us with information about our in-the-moment experiences. This may then cause us to approach, or avoid, what caused the emotion in the first place.

Reference:

Izard, C. E. (2010). The many meanings/aspects of emotion: Definitions, functions, activation, and regulation. Emotion Review, 2(4), 363-370. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073910374661