Scientifically, how?

Question

Scientifically, how are emotions translated into the brain, and how do we interpret them into feelings, rather than just mental processes?
What makes us act the way we do, in accordance to emotions, in the brain?

Answer 1

I'm afraid your first answer above has quite a bit of misinformation.

Here's what really happens. When we have perceptions or thoughts...or even emotions...more emotion is often triggered. That emotional response is a total body response, triggered by hormones that are stimulated from the hypothalumus. These hormones (e.g., adrenaline) cause all sorts of reactions...accelerated heart-rate, rapid breathing, skin response, tightening of muscles, visceral reactions, heightened senses, and others. These responses are registered in the cortex, where the brain begins to interpret them. The raw responses are emotions, the processed responses are feelings.

We may have behavior patterns that cause us to act immediately based on certain emotional responses...this we call "instinctive" reaction. Or we could act based on analysis of what we are feeling...getting more input and referencing past information and knowledge before acting.

All of this contributes to the flow of our decision making and behavior, which in the end produces more experience, to which we react emotionally, and the cycle continues...

I hope this helps, Ashanza.

Answer 2

The human mind has got two sections known as conscious mind which controls all the normal routine things related to human body and the unconscious mind which controls the special type of activities related to the body. The emotions are handled and controlled by the unconscious mind. As soon as we see or come in contact or hear or taste some specific activity , the unconscious mind immediately catches the signal and a particular portion of the mind which is able to understand and handle the emotion gets active and translates the activity and accordingly our body reacts to it through the appropriate part. The specific part of the body represents the feelings through the indicated response. Actually only about 1/4 to 1/3 part of our mind is being normally used and a huge part of it remains unutilized. Therefore, it is claimed that those who have developed capability to utilize this part of the mind can do miracles in their life.