CHAPTER TOPICS

EMOTIONS:
FEELING, THINKING, AND
COMMUNICATING 4
What are Emotions?
Influences on Emotional Expression
Guidelines for Expressing Emotions
Managing Difficult Emotions

Looking Out/Looking In
Thirteenth Edition
 What Are Emotions?
Physiological Factors
Strong emotions are coupled with strong
physiological factors
Physical components of fear:
Increased heart rate
Rise in blood pressure
Increase in adrenaline secretions
Elevated blood sugar
A slowing of the digestive system

EMOTIONS: FEELING, THINKING, AND COMMUNICATING 2

 What are Emotions?
Nonverbal Reactions
Feelings are often apparent by observable
reactions
Appearance Changes
Blushing, sweating, etc
Behavioral Changes
Facial expression
Posture
Gestures
Different vocal tone or rate

EMOTIONS: FEELING, THINKING, AND COMMUNICATING 3

 What are Emotions?
Cognitive Interpretations
The mind plays an important role in
determining emotional states
The symptoms of fear discussed earlier are similar
to those of excitement, joy and other emotions
If you were to monitor someone having a strong
emotional reaction, you would have a hard time
ascertaining which emotion the person was
experiencing

EMOTIONS: FEELING, THINKING, AND COMMUNICATING 4

 What are Emotions?
Verbal Expression
Words can be required to discover the depth
or intensity of the emotion
At times we cant rely on perceptiveness to be
sure a message is communicated
Is a new acquaintance mistaking your
friendlessness as a come-on?
Is a lovers unenthusiastic response a sign of
boredom with you, or something less personal?

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 Influences on Emotional
Expression
Personality
There is a clear relationship between
personality and the way we experience and
express emotions
Extroverts tend to report more positive emotions
Neurotic individuals tend to report more negative
emotions
Personality doesnt have to govern your
communication satisfaction

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 Influences on Emotional
Expression
Culture
A significant factor that influences emotional
expression in different cultures is whether that
culture is:
Individualistic (United States and Canada)
These cultures feel comfortable revealing their emotions
to people with whom they are close
Collectivistic (Japan and India)
These cultures prize harmony and discourage
expressions of negative emotions which may upset
relationships

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 Influences on Emotional
Expression
Gender
Biological sex is the best predictor of the
ability to detect/interpret emotional expression
Research suggests that there is some truth to the
unexpressive male
In one study, females were 10-15% more accurate
in remembering emotional images
People in close relationships are likely to
experience/express more emotions than
those who are not
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 Influences on Emotional
Expression
Social Conventions
The unwritten rules of communication
discourage the direct expression of emotion
How many genuine emotional expressions do you
or we see in daily life?
Social rules even discourage too much expression
of positive feelings
Emotion Labor
Managing or even suppressing emotions is both
appropriate and necessary
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 Influences on Emotional
Expression
Fear of Self-Disclosure
In a society that discourages the expression
of emotions, revealing them can seem risky
Emotional Contagion
The process by which emotions are
transferred from one person to another
Is it possible to catch someones mood?
Emotions become more infectious with prolonged
contact

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 Guidelines for Expressing
Emotion
There is not a universal rule for expression
of emotion
Personality, culture, gender, play a part
The key is to express emotion constructively
Think about a time when you expressed your
emotion clearly, then wish you hadnt.
Those who control their feelings and deny
distress are more likely to get a host of
ailments, including cancer and heart disease

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 Guidelines for Expressing
Emotion
Recognize Your Feelings
Beyond being aware, also try to identify
Recognize the difference between feeling,
talking and acting
Expand your emotional vocabulary
Share multiple feelings
You might often express anger but overlook
confusion, disappointment or frustration

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 Guidelines for Expressing
Emotion
Consider When and Where to Express
Your Feelings
Give yourself time to discover the gravity of
the emotion before full expression
Accept responsibility for your feelings
Instead of saying:
Youre making me angry! try Im getting angry.
You hurt my feelings, say I feel hurt when you do
that.

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 Guidelines for Expressing
Emotion
Be Mindful of the Communication Channel
Mediated Channels
Email
Instant Message
SMS Message
Is it appropriate to end a relationship via
voicemail?
What is the result of using CAPITAL
LETTERS in an instant message or email?

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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Facilitative and Debilitative Emotions
Facilitative Emotions
Are emotions which contribute to effective
functioning
Debilitative Emotions
Are emotions which detract from effective
functioning
Intensity
Anger or irritation may be beneficial
Rage usually makes matters worse
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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Sources of Debilitative Emotions
Our genetic makeup
Emotional memory
Harmless events can trigger debilitative feelings
Self-talk

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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Self-Talk
Interpretations people make of an event,
during the process of self-talk that determine
their feelings
Event Thought Feeling
Being called names Ive done something wrong. hurt, upset

Being called names My friend must be sick. concern,

sympathy

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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Irrational Thinking
The Fallacies
The Fallacy of Perfection
The belief that a worthwhile communication should
be able to handle every situation
The Fallacy of Approval
That it is vital to gain the approval of virtually every
person

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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Irrational Thinking
The Fallacy of Shoulds
The inability to distinguish between what is and
what should be
The Fallacy of Overgeneralization
Basing a decision on limited information
When we exaggerate shortcomings
The Fallacy of Causation
The irrational belief that emotions are caused by
others rather than by ones own self-talk
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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Irrational Thinking
The Fallacy of Helplessness
Satisfaction in life is determined by forces beyond
your control
The Fallacy of Catastrophic Expectations
The assumption that if something bad can happen,
then it is going to happen

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 Managing Difficult Emotions
Minimizing Debilitative Emotions
Monitor your emotional reactions
Note the activating event
Record your self-talk
Reappraise your irrational beliefs
Replace self-defeating self-talk with more
constructive thinking

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 Chapter Review
What are Emotions?
Influences on Emotional Expression
Guidelines for Expressing Emotions
Managing Difficult Emotions

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