Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical (internal) and environmental (external) influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood, temperament, personality, disposition, and motivation. Motivations direct and energize behavior, while emotions provide the affective component to motivation, positive or negative.

No definitive emotion classification system exists, though numerous taxonomies have been proposed. Some categorizations include:

• "Cognitive" versus "non-cognitive" emotions
• Instinctual emotions (from the amygdala), versus cognitive emotions (from the prefrontal cortex).
• Universal emotions recognized cross-culturally based on research on identification of facial expressions

Several different theories aim to explain the origin, neurobiology, experience, and function of emotions.

Noun

emotions

1. plural form of emotion

• mooniest

Emotions are complex psychophysical processes that evoke positive or negative psychological responses (or both) and physical expressions, often involuntary. Emotions are often related to feelings, perceptions or beliefs about elements, objects or relations between them, in reality or in the imagination. They typically arise spontaneously, rather than through conscious effort. An emotion (reaction or state) is often differentiated from a feeling (sensation or impression), although the word feeling can mean emotion in some contexts.

Sourced

• Feelings are a very difficult business. So outsource them.
  • Poster from unidentified painter
  • Matyszczyk, Chris, "Why people really do care about privacy", CNET, CBS Interactive, 13 March 2010. URL accessed on 2010-03-18.