BRAIN & EMOTIONS

HUMAN ORGANS

u There are seventy-eight main organs within the

human body
Anus Capillaries Joints Nerves Skin Tendons

Arteries Cerebellum Liver Nasal Cavity Spleen Tongue

Appendix Diaphragm Lungs Ovaries Scrotum Thyroid

Oesophagus
Adrenal Glands Ears Larynx Stomach Trachea
/ Esophagus

Thymus
Brain Eyes Ligaments Penis Spinal Cord
Gland

Fallopian Small
Bones Lymph Nodes Pancreas Ureters
Tubes Intestine

Large Salivary
Bronchi Genitals Pharynx Urethra
Intestine Glands

Lymphatic Skeletal
Bladder Gallbladder Placenta Uterus
vessel Muscles

Seminal
Bone Marrow Heart Mouth Prostate Vulva
vesicles

Subcutaneou
Bulbourethral glands Hair follicle Mesentery Pineal Gland Veins
s tissue

Hypothalamu Mammary Pituitary

Colon Teeth Vagina
s Glands Gland

Parathyroid
Cervix Interstitium Nose Tonsils Vas deferens
Glands

Vestigial
Clitoris Kidneys Nails Rectum Testes
organ
ORGANS WHICH ARE VITAL FOR SURVIVAL
THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGAN OF HUMAN
BODY?
 DID YOU KNOW THESE?

u The brain is protected by the

bones of the skull and by a
covering of three thin
membranes called meninges

u An adult brain weighs about

1300gr and about 75% of that
weight comes from water

u The surface area of the brain is

about 233 to 465 square inches
(1,500 to 2,000 cm2)

u The human brain contains

approximately one hundred
billion neurons (nerve cells)
The brain can be
divided into 3 parts:
1. Cerebrum
2. Cerebellum
3. Brainstem
VIDEO TIME
The brain is a complex
organ that controls
thought, memory, emotion,
touch, motor skills, vision,
breathing, temperature,
hunger and every process
that regulates our body
The cerebrum is divided into
the left and right hemispheres by a
deep longitudinal fissure; the two
hemispheres remain in contact
and communication with one
another by the corpus callosum

The corpus callosum allows the

two hemispheres to communicate
with each other and allows for
information being processed on
one side of the brain to be shared
with the other side
The left and right sides of the brain have
different functions and control different
processes

The left and right sides of the brain

connect via nerve fibers. In a healthy
brain, the two sides communicate with
one another

The two sides do not necessarily have to

communicate, though. If a person has an
injury that separates the two brain
hemispheres, they can still function
relatively normally
Each hemispere of the brain is
segmented into regions called lobes
There are four lobes:
1. Frontal lobe
2. Parietal lobe
3. Temporal lobe
4. Occipital lobe

Each lobe has specific functions, but for

most activities, several areas of
different lobes in both hemispheres
must work together
CEREBRAL CORTEX
-Cerebral cortex is the brain’s
outermost layer of nerve cell
tissue. It has a wrinkled
appearance from its many
folds and grooves
- Cerebral cortex is involved in
many high-level functions,
such as reasoning, emotion,
thought, memory, language
and consciousness
FUNCTIONS OF THE FRONTAL
LOBE The largest lobe of the brainwhich is
located in the forward part of the brain
-Decision-making, problem-
solving
-Conscious thought
-Attention
-Emotional and behavioral
control
-Speech production
-Personality
-Intelligence
-Body movement
SPECIAL AREAS WITHIN
PREFRONTAL CORTEX:
THE FRONTAL LOBE
Major functions of the prefrontal cortex as
being key to the development of
‘mindsight’ are
-bodily regulation
-attuned communication
-emotional balance
-response flexibility
-fear modulation
-empathy
-insight
-moral awareness
-intuition
SPECIAL AREAS WITHIN THE
FRONTAL LOBE BROCA’S AREA:
-Motor speech area
-A region in the frontal lobe of the
dominant hemisphere, usually the left, of
the brain with functions linked to speech
production
-Mainly associated with language
production, it also plays a significant role in
language comprehension. Studies have
shown that it’s especially important in
providing the ability to use syntactic
information to determine the meaning of
complex and ambiguous sentences
SYMPTOMS OF FRONTAL
LOBE DAMAGE
Memory issues
Personality changes
Problem-solving, decision-making issues
Attention problems
Emotional deficit, socially inappropriate behavior,
behavior changes
Lack of ability to understand or express speech
(aphasia)
Difficulty speaking (apraxia)
Weakness, paralysis, loss of muscle control on one
side of the body (flaccid hemiplegia)
VIDEO TIME
 FUNCTIONS OF
TEMPORAL LOBE Second largest lob of human
cerebrum
-Language comprehension, speech
formation, learning
-Memory
-Hearing
-Nonverbal interpretation
-Sound-to-visual image conversion
-Enabling other people’s emotions
and reactions
SPECIAL PARTS WITHIN
THE TEMPORAL LOBES
WERNICKE’S AREA:
-Located in the left temporal lobe
-Area for the sensory speech
-Damage to this area causes
Wernicke's aphasia in which an
individual can make speech sounds,
but they are receptive aphasia or
meaningless because they don't
make any sense
VIDEO TIME
SPECIAL PARTS WITHIN THE
TEMPORAL LOBES HIPPOCAMPUS:
A neural structure in the medial
temporal lobe of the brain.
Functions:
-Response to stress
-Feeding and drinking behavior
-Respiratory and cardiovascular
functions
It is best known for its role in memory
processing
VIDEO TIME
SPECIAL PARTS WITHIN THE
TEMPORAL LOBES AMYGDALA
Located deep within the temporal lobes,
adjacent to the hippocampus
Functions:
- Formation of memories, especially
those which are emotional
- Perception of emotions such as anger,
fear, and sadness, as well as the
- Controlling of aggression
- The amygdala helps to store memories
of events and emotions so that an
individual may be able to recognize
similar events in the future
- Plays a role in sexual activity and libido
or sex drive
VIDEO TIME
LIMBIC SYSTEM -The limbic system is a set of
evolutionarily basic or primitive brain
structures located on top of the
brainstem and buried under the
cortex. The limbic system is another
subcortical structure that consists of
structures and nerve fibers located
deep within the cerebrum. This
system connects the hypothalamus
with other areas of the frontal and
temporal lobes, including the
amygdala and hippocampus
-The two large limbic system
structures, the amygdala and
hippocampus have important roles
in memory
 LIMBIC SYSTEM

u Part of the forebrain known as the diencephalon is also

included in the limbic system. The diencephalon is located
beneath the cerebral hemispheres and contains the thalamus
and hypothalamus
u The thalamus is involved in sensory perception and regulation
of motor functions and also have a role in sensation and
movement. The hypothalamus is a very small but important
component of the diencephalon. It plays a major role in
regulating hormones, the pituitary gland, body temperature,
the adrenal glands, and many other vital activities
u The hypothalamus is the main neural control center in the
brain that controls endocrine glands
 LIMBIC SYSTEM

The limbic system is considered to be the epicentre of

emotional and behavioral expression. A quick way to
remember the functions of the limbic system is to think
about five “F’s”:
u Feeding (satiety & hunger)
u Forgetting (memory)
u Fighting (emotional response)
u Family (sexual reproduction
and maternal instincts)
u Fornicating (sexual arousal)
 LIMBIC SYSTEM DAMAGE

u Damage to the limbic system is dependent on which region is

affected:
u Amygdala damage could affect a person’s fear processing (especially in being
unable to recognize fearful situations), which could result in more risk-taking behaviors
and putting themselves in dangerous situations

u Damage to the hippocampus could lead to deficits in being able to learn anything
new, as well as affecting memory

u Hypothalamus damage can affect the production of certain hormones, including

those which can affect mood and emotion
SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH LIMBIC SYSTEM DAMAGE

u Uncontrolled emotions – more aggression, anxiety, and COGNITIVE :

agitation. u Depression
u Olfactory impairments u Olfactory impairments
u Memory impairments u Obsessive compulsive disorder
u Abnormal sexual behavior – high/low sex drive u Anxiety
u Abnormal biological rhythms u Posttraumatic stress disorder
u Below are some cognitive disorders which have shown to u Schizophrenia
be connected to the limbic system:
u Bipolar disorder
u Autism spectrum conditions
u Alzheimer’s disease
u Movement disorders – Huntington’s and Parkinson’s
disease
SYMPTOMS OF AMYGDALA DAMAGE

People with damaged amygdala express symptoms of so called Klüver-Bucy

syndrome:
u Inability of visual recognition of the surrounding objects
u Tendency to inspect the surrounding objects by smelling them or chewing
them
u Irresistible need to explore the surrounding space and excessive reactions to
visual stimuli
u Excessive expression of fear and anger
u Eating abnormal amounts of food even when the patient is not hungry
u Along with these symptoms, damage of the amygdala can be followed by
amnesia, dementia and aphasia
PARIETAL LOBE

The parietal lobe is vital for sensory

perception and integration, including
the management of taste, hearing,
sight, touch, and smell

It is home to the brain's primary

sensory area, a region where the
brain interprets input from other areas
of the body

The more sensory input a region of the

body provides, the more surface area
of the parietal lobe is dedicated to
that area
FUNCTIONS OF THE
PARIETAL LOBE

The parietal lobe rests near the top and

center of the cerebral cortex, just behind the
frontal lobe and above the occipital and
temporal lobes
Functions:
-Sensory information (touch, pressure, pain,
position, vibration, temperature) processing
-Spatial processing and spatial manipulation.
This is the ability to understand where you are
in three-dimensional space, such as how to
navigate around your home or town
Symptoms of Parietal
1.Sensory problems:
Lobe Damage
Numbness
Tingling
Burning
Difficulty sensing hot and cold

2. Vision problems:
Difficulty to process certain
visual information such as length
and depth which leads to poor
hand-eye coordination and
balance
 SYMPTOMS OF PARIETAL LOBE DAMAGE

3. Hemispatial neglect:
Lose awareness of one entire side of their body,
usually the left side; they do not see, feel,or hear
anything on their affected side
4. Bilateral temporal lob: damage causes problems
with visual attention and movement
5. If several symptoms of parietal lob damage
coincide: left-right confusion, inability to write,
mathematical diffıculties and aphasia (speech
diffıculty) and anosognosia (inability to recognize
their physical or mental disability) can ocur
VIDEO TIME
FUNCTIONS OF THE
OCCIPITAL LOBE
The occipital lobe is the smallest lobe of the cerebral
hemisphere located posterior to parietal and temporal lobes of
each cerebral hemisphere
It forms the most posterior portion of the brain, with the
occipital pole constituting the most caudal point of the
occipital lobe and the cerebrum
Functions:
-Is the visual processing area of the brain
-Deals with aspects of vision, including:
-Distance
-Depth perception
-Color determination
-Object recognition
-Movement
-Face recognition
-Memory information
OCCIPITAL LOBE

Humans also have

binocular perception due
to the fact that the
occipital lobes on either
hemisphere also receive
visual information from
both of the retinas
Because this combines two
images into one image in
the brain, it helps give more
depth and provide spatial
awareness of the
environment
SPECIAL PARTS WITHIN THE
OCCIPITAL LOBE
BRODMANN AREA 17

Broadman Area 17 is the

primary visual cortex
which receives eives the
visual information from
the retina of the eye
SYMPTOMS OF
OCCIPITAL LOBE • Difficulty with locating objects in
DAMAGE environment
• Difficulty with identifying colours (Colour
Agnosia)
• Production of hallucinations
• Visual illusions - inaccurately seeing objects
• Word blindness - inability to recognise
words
• Difficulty in recognizing drawn objects
• Inability to recognize the movement of an
object (Movement Agnosia)
• Difficulties with reading and writing
VIDEO TIME
CEREBELLUM
• Located just below the cerebrum and behind
the upper portion of brain stem. This is the
area at the base of the skull where your
meets neck.
• Accounts for about 10 percent of the brain’s
total size. Although it’s much smaller than the
cerebrum, it contains significantly more nerve
cells
• Receives input from other areas of the
nervous system, including the cerebrum, brain
stem spinal cord and uses this information to
regulate and coordinate voluntary
movements
• Also coordinates balance and posture, motor
learning, and speech
 SYMPTOMS OF CEREBELLUM DAMAGE

u Ataxia: Uncoordinated movement, trouble with fine motor tasks, and changes in speech
u Dystonia: Muscle contraction or spasm, involuntarily. These spasms can occur in any part
of the body and lead to twisting or repetitive motions
u Tremors: Involuntary muscle contractions that occur in a rhythmic manner which leads to
a shaking movement that can disrupt fine motor tasks and speech
u Vertigo: Sensation of spinning. You may feel as if you’re spinning or that your surroundings
are spinning
EMOTIONS
 WHAT IS EMOTION?

u Dictionary definition: Emotion is a conscious mental reaction (such as anger or fear) subjectively
experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied
by physiological and behavioral changes in the body

u In psychology, emotion is often defined as a complex state of feeling that results in physical and
psychological changes that influence thought and behavior. Emotionality is associated with a range
of psychological phenomena, including temperament, personality, mood, and motivation.
According to author David G. Myers, human emotion involves "...physiological arousal, expressive
behaviors, and conscious experience."

u Emotions are reactions that human beings experience in response to events or situations. The type of
emotion a person experiences is determined by the circumstance that triggers the emotion
‘’For instance, a person experiences joy when they receive good news. A person experiences fear when
they are threatened’’
 EMOTION: Left or
Right Hemisphere? -Both hemispheres process emotions
-Left hemisphere is more active
during positive emotion
-Right hemisphere is more active
during negative emotion
VIDEO TIME
 AMYGDALA (‘’the emotional brain’’)

u When you see, hear, touch, or taste something, that sensory information first heads to the
thalamus, which acts as your brain's relay station. The thalamus then relays that
information to the neocortex (the “thinking brain”). From there, it is sent to the amygdala
(the “emotional brain”) which produces the appropriate emotional response
u However, when faced with a threatening situation, the thalamus sends sensory
information to both the amygdala and the neocortex. If the amygdala senses danger, it
makes a split-second decision to initiate the fight-or-flight response before the neocortex
has time to overrule it
u This cascade of events triggers the release of stress hormones, including the hormones
epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and cortisol
u These hormones prepare your body to ‘’fight or flight’’ by increasing your heart rate,
elevating your blood pressure, and boosting your energy levels, among other things
 ‘’FIGHT OR FLIGHT’’ RESPONSE

u The fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is

perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of threat activates the sympathetic
nervous system and triggers an acute stress response that prepares the body to fight or
flee.
VIDEO TIME
VIDEO TIME
 SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE

u While experts believe that there are a number of basic universal emotions that are experienced by
people all over the world regardless of background or culture, researchers also believe that
experiencing emotion can be highly subjective
‘’Consider anger, for example. Is all anger the same? Your own
experience might range from mild annoyance to blinding rage.’’

u We also don't always experience pure forms of each emotion. Mixed emotions over different events
or situations in our lives are common

‘’When faced with starting a new job, you might feel both excited and
nervous. Getting married or having a child might be marked by a wide
variety of emotions ranging from joy to anxiety. These emotions might occur
simultaneously, or you might feel them one after another.’’
 PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE

u If you've ever felt your stomach lurch from anxiety or your heart palpite with fear, then you
realize that emotions also cause strong physiological reactions which are controlled by
the autonomic nervous system

u While early studies of the physiology of emotion tended to focus on these autonomic
responses, more recent research has targeted the brain's role in emotions. Brain scans
have shown that the amygdala, part of the limbic system, plays an important role in
emotion and fear in particular. Damage to the amygdala has also been shown to impair
the fear response
 BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE

u The final component is the actual expression of emotion. We spend a significant amount
of time interpreting the emotional expressions of the people around us. Our ability to
accurately understand these expressions is tied to what psychologists call emotional
intelligence, and these expressions play a major part in our overall body language

u Research suggests that many expressions are universal, such as a smile to indicate
happiness or a frown to indicate sadness but ociocultural norms also play a role in how
we express and interpret emotions
 TYPES OF THEORIES OF EMOTION

The major theories of emotion can be grouped into three main categories:

u Physiological theories: suggest that responses within the body are

responsible for emotions
u Neurological theories: propose that activity within the brain leads to
emotional responses
u Cognitive theories: argue that thoughts and other mental activity play an
essential role in forming emotions
 EMOTIONS vs FEELINGS, AND MOODS

u Emotions are reactions to stimuli, but feelings are what we experience as a result of
emotions. Feelings are influenced by our perception of the situation, which is why the
same emotion can trigger different feelings among people experiencing it
u An emotion is normally quite short-lived, but intense. Emotions are also likely to have a
definite and identifiable cause

u ‘’For
example, after disagreeing with a friend over politics, you
might experience anger.’’
u While emotions are associated with bodily reactions that are activated through
neurotransmitters and hormones released by the brain, feelings are the conscious
experience of emotional reactions
 EMOTIONS vs FEELINGS AND MOODS

u A mood can be described as a temporary emotional state. Sometimes moods are

caused by clear reasons—you might feel everything is going your way this week, so
you're in a happy mood. But in many cases, it can be difficult to identify the specific
cause of a mood
u ‘’For example, you might find yourself feeling gloomy for several days without any clear,
identifiable reason.’’
 WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY EMOTIONS?

u Primary emotions are the emotions that humans experience universally.

There are different theories as to what these specific emotions are, but
they often include :
u Happiness,
u Sadness,
u Fear,
u Disgust,
u Anger,
u Surprise
HAPPINESS • Happiness is often defined as a
pleasant emotional state that is
characterized by feelings of
contentment, joy, gratification,
satisfaction, and well-being
• Happiness is expressed through:
Ø Facial expressions: such as smiling
Ø Body language: such as a relaxed
stance
Ø Tone of voice: an upbeat,
pleasant way of speaking
SADNESS • Sadness is defined as a transient
emotional state characterized by
feelings of disappointment, grief,
hopelessness, disinterest, and
dampened mood
• Sadness can be expressed in a number
of ways including:
Ø Crying
Ø Dampened mood
Ø Lethargy
Ø Quietness
Ø Withdrawal from others
Ø The type and severity of sadness can
vary depending upon the root cause,
and how people cope with such
feelings can also differ
FEAR
• Fear is a powerful emotion that can also play an
important role in survival. When you face some sort of
danger and experience fear, you go through what is
known as the fight or flight response
• Your muscles become tense, your heart rate and
respiration increase, and your mind becomes more alert,
priming your body to either run from the danger or stand
and fight.
• This response helps ensure that you are prepared to
effectively deal with threats in your environment.
• Expressions of this type of emotion can include:
Ø Facial expressions: such as widening the eyes
and pulling back the chin
Ø Body language: attempts to hide or flea from
the threat
Ø Physiological reactions: such as rapid
breathing and heartbeat
DISGUST
• This sense of revulsion can originate from a number of
things, including an unpleasant taste, sight, or smell.
Researchers believe that this emotion evolved as a
reaction to foods that might be harmful or fatal. When
people smell or taste foods that have gone bad, for
example, disgust is a typical reaction
• Poor hygiene, infection, blood, rot, and death can also
trigger a disgust response. This may be the body's way of
avoiding things that may carry transmittable diseases
• Disgust can be displayed in a number of ways including:

Ø Body language: turning away from the

object of disgust
Ø Physical reactions: such as vomiting or
retching
Ø Facial expressions: such as wrinkling the nose
and curling the upper lip
ANGER
• Anger can be a particularly powerful emotion characterized
by feelings of hostility, agitation, frustration, and antagonism
towards others. Like fear, anger can play a part in your body's
fight or flight response
• When a threat generates feelings of anger, you may be
inclined to fend off the danger and protect yourself. Anger is
often displayed through:
• Facial expressions: such as frowning or glaring
Ø Body language: such as taking a strong stance or
turning away
Ø Tone of voice: such as speaking gruffly or yelling
Ø Physiological responses: such as sweating or turning red
Ø Aggressive behaviors: such as hitting, kicking, or
throwing objects
• While anger is often thought of as a negative emotion, it can
sometimes be a good thing. It can be constructive in helping
clarify your needs in a relationship, and it can also motivate
you to take action and find solutions to things that are bothering you
SURPRISE
• Surprise is another one of the six basic types of
human emotions originally described by
Eckman. Surprise is usually quite brief and is
characterized by a physiological startle
response following something unexpected

• This type of emotion can be positive,

negative, or neutral. An unpleasant surprise,
for example, might involve someone jumping
out from behind a tree and scaring you as you
walk to your car at night
• Surprise is often characterized by:
Ø Facial expressions: such as raising the
brows, widening the eyes, and opening
the mouth
Ø Physical responses: such as jumping back
Ø Verbal reactions: such as yelling,
screaming, or gasping
 WHAT ARE SECONDARY EMOTIONS?

u Secondary emotions stem from—and are variations of—primary emotions.

Sometimes, we have secondary emotions in response to our primary emotions
(i.e., "I'm frustrated that I'm so sad")
u Secondary emotions may include:

u Frustration
u Pride
u Envy
u Jealousy
 JEALOUSY

u Jealousy is a complex emotion. It occurs when there’s a real or perceived threat to an

interpersonal relationship
‘’An individual may resent a third person for taking away or appearing to take
away the affections of their loved one.’’
u Feelings that typically accompany the emotion include resentment, anger, hostility, and
bitterness
u Everyone experiences jealousy at some point in their lives, but the emotion can become
unhealthy and negatively impact your relationships. It can range in intensity. When it’s
severe, irrational jealousy can lead to distrust, paranoia, abuse, or even physical violence
 WHAT ARE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS?

u All emotions can be positive or negative, but the emotions people usually
call "negative" are the ones that can be unpleasant to experience and
can cause disruption to daily life.
u Negative emotions include:
u Envy
u Anger
u Sadness
u Fear
VIDEO TIME
 WHAT ARE SOME WAYS EMOTIONS AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH?

u Research has shown that chronic fear can lead to anxiety, which is linked
with inflammation and lowered immunity

u Happiness is linked with a longer lifespan, whereas chronic sadness is

linked with poorer physical health

u Anger is linked with illnesses like heart disease and behaviors like smoking.
u It's healthy to experience all kinds of emotions, but to develop productive
ways of expressing them so they don't take a negative toll on your health
 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

u EI measures our ability to perceive our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others,
and to manage them in a productive and healthy way
u EI is fundamental to our life experience and can influence how successful we are in our
relationships and careers. Whatever stage of life you’re at, you can use some simple steps
to improve your Emotional Intelligence and develop your self-awareness and empathy
 7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

1. Practice Observing How You Feel

u In the process of rushing from one commitment to the next, meeting deadlines, and responding
to external demands, many of us lose touch with our emotions. When we do this, we’re far more
likely to act unconsciously, and we miss out on the valuable information that our emotions
contain

u Whenever we have an emotional reaction to something, we’re receiving information about a

particular situation, person or event. The reaction we experience might be due to the current
situation, or it could be that the current situation is reminding us of a painful, unprocessed
memory

u When we pay attention to how we’re feeling, we learn to trust our emotions, and we become
far more adept at managing them
7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

2. Pay attention to how you behave

u A key part of improving your EI is learning to manage your emotions,
which is something you can only do if you are consciously aware of them
u While you’re practicing your emotional awareness, pay attention to your
behavior too. Notice how you act when you’re experiencing certain
emotions, and how that affects your day-to-day life. Does it impact your
communication with others, your productivity, or your overall sense of well-
being?
 7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)
3. Take Responsibility for Your Feelings and Behavior
u This is probably the most challenging step, and it’s also the most helpful. Your emotions and
behavior come from you—they don’t come from anyone else—therefore, you’re the one
who’s responsible for them

u If you feel hurt in response to something someone says or does, and you lash out at them,
you’re responsible for that. They didn’t “make” you lash out (they’re not controlling you with
puppet strings, after all!), your reaction is your responsibility

u Equally, your feelings can provide you with valuable information about your experience of the
other person, as well as your own needs and preferences, but your feelings aren’t another
person’s responsibility

u Once you start accepting responsibility for how you feel and how you behave, this will have a
positive impact on all areas of your life
7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

3. Practice Responding, Rather than Reacting

u There’s a subtle but important difference between responding and reacting

u Reacting is an unconscious process where we experience an emotional
trigger, and behave in an unconscious way that expresses or relieves that
emotion (for example, feeling irritated and snapping at the person who has
just interrupted you)
u Responding is a conscious process that involves noticing how you feel, then
deciding how you want to behave (for example, feeling irritated, explaining to
the person how you feel, why this isn’t a good time to be interrupting you, and
when would be better)
 7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

5. Practice empathizing with yourself and others

u Empathy is about understanding why someone feels or behaves in a certain way and
being able to communicate that understanding to them. It applies to ourselves and other
people, and practicing this ability will improve your EI
u Start by practicing with yourself. When you notice yourself feeling or behaving in a certain
way, ask “Why do I think I’m feeling like this/doing this?” At first, your response might be “I
don’t know,” but keep paying attention to your feelings and behavior, and you’ll start to
notice different answers coming through
7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

6. Create a positive environment

u Make time to notice what is going well and where you feel grateful in your
life
u Then create a suitable and positive environment for yourself. Creating this
positive environment not only improves your quality of life, but it can be
contagious to the people around you too
7 PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)

7. Remember EI is a Lifetime Process

u Emotional intelligence isn’t something you develop once then drop. It’s a
lifetime practice, and it is possible to keep improving
u Even when you feel like you’ve mastered these steps, remember to keep
practicing, and you’ll reap the benefits of emotional intelligence for the
rest of your life
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

u For many years, the prime focus of psychology was to diagnose and treat
people with mental health problems and psychopathological issues
u However, this focus began to shift in 1998, when Dr. Martin Seligman and
Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi popularized the concept of positive
psychology, an offshoot of clinical psychology that crafted new, positively
focused interventions
u According to this new positive psychology paradigm, individuals were
encouraged to work with their inner strengths to promote flourishing and
the optimal functioning of people, groups, and institutions
FORDYCE’S 14 FUNDAMENTALS OF HAPPINESS
u Being more active and busy
u Spending more time socializing
u Being productive at work
u Being more organized and well-planned
u Reducing worries and negative
contemplations
u Fewer expectations, and having more
realistic ones
u Practicing positivity through optimistic
thinking and reasoning
u Getting more focused and mindfully
aware of the present
u Developing and maintaining a healthy
personality
u Becoming more empathetic
u Being ourselves at all times
u Replacing negative thoughts with
positive ones
u Valuing close relationships
u Thinking about enhancing our happiness
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS

u The purpose of positive psychology, as announced by Dr. Carol Kauffman (2006), is to

“develop sound theories of optimal functioning and to find empirically supported ways to
improve the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people.”
u Positive psychology interventions are the means to achieve this goal and invite happiness
back in our lives
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS: ‘’THE IMAGINED SELF
TECHNIQUE ‘’

Steps of ‘’The Imagined Self Technique ‘’

Ø Imagine yourself in the future, living the life you have dreamt of – with all the people you
want to share it with
Ø Imagine that you achieved everything that you are struggling for now, and you are proud
of your achievements
Ø Immerse yourself into that imagined self of yours and try to impersonate the happiness
and positivity that you think you might feel then
Ø Next, ask yourself what you can do to get to that stage in life, and journal your responses
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS
Yoga

u Positive psychology is secular in all aspects. It gives equal importance to quantitative

analyzes like depression and happiness scales, and at the same time also embraces
qualitative and self-enhancing practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness
Ø Yoga for self-doubt
Ø Positive energy-boosting yoga
Ø Meditation for positivity
Ø Yoga for self-confidence
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS:
FORGIVENESS EXERCISE

u Holding on to grudges and complaints sucks out our inner peace and prosperity. A beautiful positive psychology
intervention that we can follow as a daily practice and imbibe into our personality is the art of forgiving.
u This exercise helps us to free ourselves from past resentments and focus on life in a brand new way. And the practice is uber
simple.
Ø Take a piece of paper and name all the people and the incidents of the past that hurt you.
Ø Beside each name, describe how the negative encounter shattered you. Try to name all the feelings you experienced in
that phase (for example – sad, angry, insulted, hopeless, heartbroken, betrayed, hateful, and the like).
Ø While you are scribbling about all the hurtful encounters, notice how those depressing feelings start coming back to you.
Ø Now, close your eyes, take two deep breaths and relax for a few seconds.
Ø Next, imagine each name on the list and in your heart, say ‘I forgive you’. Alternatively, if you were at fault, admit it and ask
for their forgiveness.
Ø Notice how this exchange of forgiveness liberates you from the pent up grudges and make you feel empowered from the
core.
Ø Open your eyes and on the paper where you had listed the grievances, write in bolds, FORGIVEN and FREE.
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS:Positive
Affirmations
u Positive affirmations, like compliments, are
“verbal sunshine” that brings an immediate
sense of pleasure and pride in us. As a PPI,
affirmations redirect the mind to focus on the
positive sides in ourselves and push ourselves to
act positively. They can be simple statements
that we say aloud to ourselves every day.
u Some positive affirmations that we can choose
to say to ourselves and let the light enter in our
mind, as happiness is a choice that we should
make every day:
Ø I deserve to be happy
Ø I love my body and my mind deeply
Ø Today, I will reflect only on the good things in life
Ø I forgive myself for all past mistakes
Ø I hold no grudges against anyone
Ø Whatever has happened, is for the
good
Ø I will live in the present
Ø From today, I will abandon old habits
and embrace new and better ones
Ø I am grateful for everything I have got
so far
Ø I am a fighter, and I will overcome this
Ø I will love myself more from today
Ø Everything is okay and I am at peace
with myself
 POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

A Take-Home Message
u Happiness is always there around us; we only need to look for it in the right place
u Positive psychology is not a resort to fight distress or disappointments. It is a gentle way of
reminding us that life isn’t all about adding glories and abandoning pains. If we have the
power to love ourselves and others, the determination to work dedicatedly, and the gift of
waking up with new energy each day, we already have enough to be thankful for