We have been discussing Lisa Barrett\u2019s constructivist view of emotions. In her theory, Barrett has rejected the classical view of emotions. The classical view argues that our emotions have \u201cfingerprints\u201d which track with specific regions in the brain. In opposition to this position, Barrett argues that our emotions are constructed through a complex interaction between neurology, psychology, language, and society. In our class on October 1st, we utilized a jigsaw class format to explore three different implications of her position. I will summarize the implications of Barrett\u2019s view for the social reality of our emotions, human nature, and our own everyday lives.<\/p>\n
\tIn Chapter 7, Barrett argues that emotions, like sound, money, and color, are constructed rather than objective features of the world. For example, money is real in the sense that we ascribe it value, but it does not have intrinsic value independent of us. In a similar way, sounds do not exist without a perceiver to translate and interpret the vibrations. Barrett uses these examples to emphasize the importance of perceiver-dependent categories. Emotions require a perceiver \u2013 they do not exist without our interpretation of them. Throughout our history, humans have come together, interpreted emotional experiences, and grouped them under common language categories. In this way, emotions rely on the cultures which they are constructed. Of course, someone might object to this position by highlighting the universality of emotional categories across culture. Barrett responds to this objection by explaining that humans have always found similar solutions to problems — we can understand similar emotional categories as evidence toward common cultural solutions rather than intrinsic emotional universality. Barrett uses the emotional concept \u201cliget\u201d as evidence to this construction. In the Illongot tribe in the Philippines, liget is an emotional concept describing a pleasant aggression. Although we do not have a similar emotional concept, Barrett argues that adopting a concept like liget could allow those in war to better articulate their emotionally complex experiences. In this way, we can construct new emotional concepts to help us articulate experiences outside our restricted predefined categories. However, this does lead to a concern I have with Barrett\u2019s theory. If we can only experience an emotion by having the concept, how could building new concepts put words to unarticulated emotional experiences? Under Barrett\u2019s theory a soldier without the liget concept should be unable to experience pleasure in war. This is a problem that Barrett does not seem to address.<\/p>\n
\tIn Chapter 8, Barrett argues that her constructivist view has philosophical implications for human nature. First, Barrett explains, that if our emotions are constructed, we have more responsibility for our actions. We are not simply wired to respond to events in the world, but we can instead have agency in the emotional concepts we choose to cultivate. Although we have less agency when we are younger, our moral responsibility increases as we get older. By learning new concepts, we can redirect ourselves away from harmful patterns and behaviors.<\/p>\n
\tSecond, Barrett emphasizes that her view rejects the common essentialist understanding of human nature. Essentialism posits that certain categories have a necessary essence which exists independently of our own language and perception. Under this view, a dog is a dog because of a particular \u201cdoggy\u201d essence which a cat does not possess. Darwin challenged essentialism through his theories of evolution and natural selection. Natural selection shows that dogs are different from cats not because dogs possess some unique essence, but instead because dogs evolved with selected adaptions and mutations. Although Darwin\u2019s research undermined the essentialist worldview, Barrett highlights a historical irony: Darwin reaffirmed essentialism in his description of emotions. Barrett argues that emotions, like other constructed categories, do not have a particular essence. Sadness is not sadness because of a necessary \u201csad\u201d essence, but instead because we interpret the emotion within a preconstructed category. Barrett argues that psychology, like religion, has been built on a dogmatic belief in essentialism, and both positions have led to damaging assumptions. Barrett explains that this dogmatism has real world consequences. For example, Apple, Google, Amazon, and other major corporations invest billions of dollars on the assumption that emotions have a universal essence which can be exploited through technology. <\/p>\n
\tFinally, Barrett gives us practical ways to master our emotions in Chapter 9. Barrett suggests that we manage our body budget \u2013 she emphasizes that we must regulate what we are putting in as opposed to what we are getting out. In order to maintain mental equilibrium, we can incorporate practical strategies in our lives. This includes getting sleep, eating healthy, doing yoga, spending time in quiet spaces, going out into nature, reading novels, and adopting a pet. Additionally, Barrett suggests we build our emotional intelligence by cultivating new emotional concepts. We can do this by going on trips, watching movies, and learning new words to develop new concepts. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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