Beyond Happy and Sad: Introducing Emotional Granularity
A narration will be added here. Admin can upload audio in the dashboard.
How are you feeling right now? For many of us, the answer is a simple ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ ‘happy’ or ‘sad.’ We often use a handful of general terms to describe the vast and complex landscape of our inner world. But what if this limited emotional vocabulary is holding us back?
Emotional Granularity
The ability to construct more precise and specific emotional experiences. Instead of just feeling 'bad,' it's the capacity to pinpoint whether you are feeling disappointed, frustrated, discouraged, or resentful.
Example: Instead of saying 'I'm stressed,' someone with high granularity might say, 'I feel overwhelmed by my workload and apprehensive about the upcoming deadline.'
Pioneered by Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, the Theory of Constructed Emotion suggests that emotions are not pre-programmed reactions. Instead, they are actively created by your brain to make sense of your body's sensations in the context of your world.
"Emotions are not reactions to the world; they are your brain’s creations for making sense of the world."
Marcus's Monday Morning
Marcus, a teacher, woke up feeling 'bad.' His usual response was to withdraw and feel unmotivated. But this time, he paused. He noticed a tightness in his chest and a recurring thought about a difficult parent meeting. He realized he wasn't just 'bad,' he was feeling apprehensive. He also felt frustrated about a lesson plan that wasn't working.
Think about it: How does identifying these specific emotions help Marcus more than just feeling 'bad'?
Key Takeaway: By distinguishing apprehension from frustration, Marcus could take specific actions: he prepared talking points for the meeting (addressing apprehension) and decided to ask a colleague for ideas on the lesson plan (addressing frustration).
According to the Theory of Constructed Emotion, where do emotions come from?