Feeling All the Feels: Crash Course Psychology #25

In this episode of Crash Course Psychology, Hank talks about these things called "Emotions". What are they? And why do we need them?

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Chapters:
Introduction: Emotions 00:00
Theories on Emotions 2:11
Cognition & Emotion 3:35
The Spillover Effect 4:22
Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Approaches to Cognitive Processing 6:09
The Autonomic Nervous System 8:10
Optimal Arousal 8:39
Review & Credits 10:03
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Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?

Thought Cafe just makes the cutest animations!

[NageekNoohac]

You guys should do a crash course on music theory! Maybe you don't have anyone qualified, but I think it has real potential as a crash course series.

[weebleapplesmooooo]

I hate it too when I'm in the middle of an acceptance speech and someone grabs my microwave

[Jessie-ferh]

I am quite amazed that I'm being recommended these videos in my University as additional viewing. I watched these in highschool as I was insanely interested in psychology, and Crash Course was always one of my favourite channels. So to those highschool kids watching and wanting to pursue psychology in the future: you're on the right channel!

[pursueconsciously]

FYI Hank, My biopsych teacher at UM basically taught the entire semester via your videos.

[Mooseplatoon]

As someone with a severe anxiety disorder, this episode was particularly helpful in understanding what is/might be happening in my brain when the things!

[GlovesoffHarry]

Gotta feel the feel
I gotta feel the very best
I gotta feel better than all the rest
EMOTION!

[robcooper]

1:21 the way she flailed her arms had me dying

[Moonbeam]

When Ash and Butterfree parted ways on the Pokemon TV show, it made me feel the feels.

[atheryne]

A year ago I got fired from a job that I hated. My boss was mean, demanding, misogynistic and distrustful. He was also a dark-skinned man from Ethiopia with a strong accent. Recently I have found myself immediately feeling anger and dislike towards people with similar traits. A black Jamaican woman that I work with, the Nigerian priest at my cousin's wedding... Even though these people have done nothing to earn my dislike my brain decided, before I even spoke with these people, that it didn't like them. And it's not just physical characteristics, either. This weekend my family had dinner with my grandparents; and after eating I was joking around with my grandpa, who is a very non-serious, silly person, and he said something to me and shook his head with a disappointed look just like my old boss used to. Right away I felt that same angry shame that I used to feel every day at my old job and I couldn't tell if he was joking anymore. I wanted to get up and run away, but then he laughed and I felt ok again. It was crazy that such a simple movement could spark such a reaction in me. 

[RapidBaseball]

I too grab the microwave out of someone's hand during their acceptance speech. The need for hot pockets is just too strong.

[crashcourse]

Even if you're Mel Gibson or Kanye, it's probably best to not wear all of your emotions on your sleeve. In this episode of Crash Course Psychology, about these things called "Emotions". What are they? And why do we need them?

[ashutoshsinghrathore]

We often feel the emotion with our bodies as much as with our brains. Like if you change the physical environment of someone from a sad-boring place to an entertaining and happy place his or emotions will also change. And sometimes if you are not sad and starts crying then eventually you will remember something which will make you sad.

So people, be there where you feel good, and do the things which make you feel happy.

[jessicalin]

I just stumbled across this video randomly. I clicked because "feels" was in the title. I found myself listening to so much sense that I was shook. As a person who experiences high anxiety, I couldn't take another video that professed "you're not alone" or "it gets better" or some version of "i went through it and so can you." But this video explains the different processes our minds and bodies go through when experiencing emotion and has examples of experiments and explains things so well. We rationalize emotions based on other ppls reactions and what were told. In my opinion saying that it's all in ur head is the most damaging thing to say to a person because then they don't know how to deal with it because they think it's not real. So how do you deal with something that isn't real. Emotions may be irrational but that in no way means they're not real.

[blancambonazzibonaca]

Thanks Hank.  I enjoy your crash courses because when I am reading a psychology book and I am having a hard time with it, because they are usually dry, I check your work and the work of others, and I am able to understand it much better.  You do a lot of google for me.  I use many sources.  In this episode, you are giving a quick overview on emotion, you mentioned the theorists, and that is my next step.  I am going to read more on that.  I am from the pre-internet times, so all my google was done at the library.  New students take this for granted.  Perhaps you should do an episode on how students did their research before, or perhaps it would be for your brother (in history).

[Legolassytrio]

This video has been incredibly useful to me. My mum has depression and has to take pills to stabilize her emotions. However, sometimes she refuses to take them because they stop her feeling any kind of emotion. Her doctor told her that she must take the pills or else she will be dismissed (no longer seen by the doctor), and that she needs to get used to a life without emotion. This video has explained to me the importance of emotion and why mum find the lack of feelings unbearable. I will show her this, and maybe she will understand why she hates the pills, and might be able to use it against the doctor... or something.

[dianamakowski]

Watching these while doing homework. Thanks for getting me through these Hank!

[gobgobbins]

I've wondered quite frequently the difference in the non-nuerotypical mind when in comes to dissecting the individual responses and actions of various parts of the brain. Me being a diagnosed autist (aspergers), I am always curios in how different parts of the brain respond differently to different situations. For instance in this particular video, arousal is talked about often. I have always founnd it hard to be aroused in this sense. Often being called cold and emotionless. I very rarely have an emotional response to different stimuli. Even such things like roller coasters where you would expect to see and feel arousal, I often feel negligible reactions. Its common for me to get off a ride and see myself straight faced on the picture they take and see everyone else screaming with their eyes closed and mouths wide open.

I would be interested in seeing a crash course psychology video detailing the different oddities or abnormalities that you see with non-nuerotypical minds and how the different parts of the brain act different. This would be cool detailing exactly what various types of autism are from a physiological stand point as well as psycopathy, schizophrenia and even the controversial D.I.D. I want to say some of these things have been talked about some. I may have just missed a video. But I think it would be cool to see a video talking about how different parts of the brain act differently with different people and how that affects their personality.  

[Competitive_Antagonist]

This has actually provided usefull information. I've long thought there was a distinction between two basic different kinds of emotions. The distinction of "high-road" and "low-road" makes sense. When you see a frightening image there's no time to stop and think about what this image means to you as your brain interpets it as physically there and you need to respond immediately, via the autonomic nervous system.
Though if it's a stimulus that does'nt require immediate action your cortex has time to process the data and so can consciously decide on how to respond. Appraisal can probably only happen in certain situations.

[mildrednromero]

love your graphics! and your wonderful colorful language describing the subject matter!....I wish more professors could be like you!....great work!...love your teaching!