Why do our emotions vary so much in certain situations?

Question

I've been curious to know why we as humans can become so emotional about a dying animal on TV or a sad movie, yet if someone we know or in our family is very ill or dies we may not show tears or emotion as much?
I just ask this because a friend of mine gets very emotional about movies etc. but when her grandmother(whom she was very close to) died she didn't seem sad or emotional. Was she just in shock perhaps?

Answer 1

Sometimes the images we see on TV or movies, can easily encapsulate the succeeding events that will lead us to a particular situation with its desired emotion.

This is of course different from the reality. The moment you are in that specific instance, it becomes entirely different because majority of your senses are already involved, apart from your brain that is processing the situation for you.

In movies, it is basically our sight that triggers us to manifest a particular emotion based on what we are seeing. When we listen to radio, it is our auditory system that dictates what emotion we should be feeling based on what we are hearing.

But when it comes to reality, all of our senses are intertwined with each other, that sometimes those situations could either overwhelm us, or shock us at that instance, or even make us think first, processing the logical events that transpired before we even react.

Life is so vivid that situations presented to us almost always require varying emotions appropriate for such. Take for example an invitation to a party by a colleague you received. It just so happened that you don't like this colleague of yours.

If this situation is in movies, you will just basically assess the situation based on the character's facial expression, the tone of their voice, etc.

But apply this in reality, you will end up arguing internally whether you will accept the invitation or not, because you have a lot of other stimuli that you need to consider before you even provide a response. Therefore, your emotion will only be apparent, the moment you decide on the question or situation that you are facing.

Answer 2

Perhaps it is not the feeling of the emotions which is so different, but the expression of them. It is easy to express the emotions felt for the unknown animal on the screen.

On the other hand, for emotions linked to people that we love or to which we feel very strong attachments, there can also be a period of "denial." Our mind just cannot accept that such a thing could happen. We do not let the facts of some events enter our reality.

Yes, this is a form of shock. Denial is also often called the first stage of "grief."

Answer 3

maybe its becuz she spent a long time with her grandmother and knew she lived a long fullfilling life, but movies r short and condensed and maybe r a lot 2 take in at once 4 her?