Emotions: What They Are And Why They Matter

Emotions are central to the human experience; they influence how we interpret the world, shape our decisions, affect our relationships, and help us respond to events.

Yet emotions can also be confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to understand, making them a common focus in talking therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Understanding emotions is important, not only for psychologists and therapists but for anyone interested in improving their emotional wellbeing. For mental health professionals, this knowledge is fundamental to assessment, formulation, and intervention.

This article explores what emotions are and why they matter, where they come from, and how different therapeutic approaches conceptualize emotional problems.

What are emotions? Meaning and definition

So, what does ‘emotion’ mean?

Quick definition of emotion: Emotions can be thought of as ‘feeling states’ that arise in response to things that happen inside us or around us (Damasio, 1994; Damasio & Damasio, 2006). They guide our decisions, deepen our connection to ourselves and others, and bring meaning to our experiences.

Emotions are also composed of distinct elements that shape our overall emotional experience (e.g., Frijda, 1986; Scherer, 2005). They include:

• A cognitive component, which relates to thoughts and helps us evaluate whether something is beneficial or harmful.

• A motivational component, which creates urges that drive behavior.

• A somatic component, which refers to bodily reactions such as a racing heart, sweaty palms, or hormonal changes.

• A motor component, which includes facial expressions, tone of voice, and behaviors that communicate emotions to others.

• A subjective component, which is the personal, internal experience of an emotion.

Psychologists usually think of emotions as transient experiences (temporary episodes that come and go) rather than enduring states. This distinguishes emotions from moods, which tend to be longer-lasting but less intense.

For example, someone might feel irritable throughout the day, while also experiencing brief moments of anxiety, sadness, or excitement.

Are all emotions the same?

One important way psychologists understand emotions is by distinguishing between primary and secondary emotions.

Primary emotions

Primary emotions are basic, biologically driven emotional experiences that all humans share (e.g., Ekman, 1992).

Research suggests that these emotions are recognizable across cultures and are associated with characteristic facial expressions.

Some examples include:

• Joy: feeling happiness or pleasure in response to positive experiences.

• Fear: feeling scared or threatened in response to perceived danger.

• Sadness: feeling sorrow or unhappiness in response to negative experiences.

• Anger: feeling irritation or rage, often in response to frustration or perceived

Secondary emotions

Secondary emotions are more complex and can be influenced by culture, beliefs, and personal experiences. Some psychologists suggest that they emerge from combinations of primary emotions.

Some examples include:

• Anxiety, which could be seen as a combination of anticipation and fear.

• Love, which could be seen as a combination of joy and trust.

• Outrage, which could be seen a combination of anger and surprise.

This distinction highlights the complexity of human emotion. While some appear to be universal, others are shaped by learning, context, and experience.

Why do emotions matter?

Emotions serve many important functions. As well as making life feel meaningful, they help us survive, learn, connect, and adapt.

Emotions alert us

Many emotions function as internal alarms that draw attention to important changes in the environment.

For example:

• Anger alerts us to obstacles, challenges, or violations.

• Fear alerts us to threats or dangers.

• Joy alerts us to gaining something valuable.

• Disgust alerts us to harmful or toxic objects.

Emotions motivate us

Emotions are also powerful motivators for action. For instance:

• Joy motivates people to retain or repeat rewarding experiences.

• Anger motivates confrontation or overcoming obstacles.

• Disgust motivates rejection or avoidance of harmful things.

• Sadness motivates comfort-seeking and reconnection.

It is important to remember that motivation and action are not the same. Many people experience the same emotions, but how we respond to them can vary.

We often have a choice about how to act on them, and these choices are shaped by our experiences.

Emotions communicate

Emotions are an important social tool, helping people communicate feelings and intentions, often without words:

• Smiling signals warmth and connection.

• Tears signal sadness and the need for support.

• Wide eyes indicate surprise or fear.

• A raised voice conveys anger or frustration.

How we express our emotions can shape our interactions with others, which can in turn influence the quality of our connections and relationships.

Emotions enhance learning and memory

Experiences that evoke strong emotions tend to be remembered more vividly than neutral experiences. This can be adaptive because it helps people remember what is safe or important. For instance, fear can help people avoid future threats, while happiness may encourage repetition of behaviors associated with positive outcomes.

However, when emotions are very intense or long-lasting, they can contribute to unhelpful patterns. For example, frightening experiences can sometimes lead to persistent fears of certain situations that are not actually dangerous.

The evolution and neuroscience of emotions

In evolutionary terms, emotions are much older than our capacity for deliberate reasoning.

For millions of years, animals relied on emotional and instinctive feeling states to solve survival challenges. Fear, for example, helped animals avoid predators, while disgust prevented the consumption of harmful substances. In this way, emotions have survival benefits: animals that avoid threats and pursue rewards are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on their genes.

Humans, as the descendants of these successful animals, have inherited the same basic emotional systems.

Why do people struggle with emotions?

Emotions are essential, but they can also lead to problems. This is especially true when they are overwhelming, are triggered too easily, or last too long. There are several factors that can play a role in the emotional challenges people experience.

Early experiences

Positive early experiences characterized by consistent care, connection, and safety help children learn to recognize, name, and manage emotions effectively.

Negative experiences such as neglect, inconsistent caregiving, trauma, or unsafe environments can increase emotional sensitivity and contribute to intense or prolonged emotional reactions later in life.

Biology and temperament

Temperament refers to the traits people are born with that influence how they respond to the world. Research suggests that individuals differ in how quickly they experience emotions, how intensely they feel them, and how rapidly they recover from them.

Of course, temperament is only part of the picture. For most people, the foundations of our emotional patterns are shaped by a combination of our biology (“nature”) and early environments (“nurture”).

Later life experiences

Emotional challenges can arise in response to our experiences throughout life.

Stressful or traumatic events like losing a loved one, bullying, relationship breakdowns, workplace challenges, financial difficulties, or exposure to violence can have a significant impact on our emotional health.

For some, these events can lead to persistent or overwhelming emotional responses, like anger, anxiety, or depression.

How talking therapies understand emotions

Different therapies share the goal of improving emotional wellbeing, but they conceptualize emotions in different ways. For example:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the links between emotions and how people think and behave. It aims to break cycles that maintain emotional difficulties.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) emphasizes psychological flexibility and helps people live according to their values rather than avoiding difficult emotions.

Compassion focused therapy (CFT) focuses on three emotional systems: threat, drive, and soothing. Emotional difficulties often arise when the threat or drive systems become overactive, or when the soothing system isn’t well developed. It focuses on helping people develop self-compassion, which helps activate the soothing system.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) emphasizes a balance between acceptance and change, encouraging people to understand and validate their emotions while also developing skills to manage them effectively.

Humanistic (person-centered) therapies view emotions as important signals related to unmet needs, conflicts, or personal goals. Instead of treating emotions as problems, these approaches see them as opportunities for self-discovery and growth.

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) encourages exploration of emotions and the unmet needs they may represent.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) focuses on processing distressing memories that remain emotionally “stuck.”

Schema therapy links emotional difficulties to long-standing patterns in people’s lives (called ‘schemas’) that develop when their emotional needs are not adequately met during childhood.

Psychodynamic therapy explores how unconscious processes, early relationships, and past experiences shape present emotional patterns.

Conclusion

Emotions are a fundamental part of human life; they influence our perception, behavior, relationships, memory, and decision-making.

Emotional difficulties can arise from a mixture of evolutionary, biological, developmental, and life factors. Fortunately, contemporary psychological therapies offer therapists numerous insights into how clients can understand and address these challenges.

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Further reading

• Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford Press.

• Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base: Parent-child attachment and healthy human development. Basic Books.

• Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

• Ekman, P. (1992). An argument for basic emotions. Cognition and Emotion, 6(3–4), 169–200.

• Gilbert, P. (2009). The compassionate mind: A new approach to life’s challenges. Constable & Robinson.

• Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and commitment therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. Guilford Press.

• Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.

• Panksepp, J. (1998). Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions. Oxford University Press.

• Plutchik, R. (2001). The nature of emotions: Human emotions have deep evolutionary roots, a fact that may explain their complexity and provide tools for clinical practice. American Scientist, 89(4), 344–350.

• Russell, J. A. (1980). A circumplex model of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(6), 1161–1178.

• Young, J. E., Klosko, J. S., & Weishaar, M. E. (2003). Schema therapy: A practitioner’s guide. Guilford Press.