Emotions essays

Emotions essays Emotions have helped humans evolve and survive by changing the way we react to and think about our environment. Positive and negative emotions create patterned responses in both individuals and in whole societies. Emotions can help people understand the world, including other human beings, better; they can also distort perceptions. Fear probably influences human evolution more than any other emotion. For example, early humans quickly learned that some large mammals posed direct threats to themselves and their families. By creating a "fight or flight" response, fear helped prehistoric peoples survive and thrive in the midst of natural threats and disasters. Fear also contributed in large part to the development of religion, as the contemplation of the universe induced a sense of awe and wonder at the universe. Unfortunately, the emotion of fear also created divisions between different tribes and ethnic groups. This expression of fear greatly influenced the way in which different peoples evolved and different cultures either flourished or died out. Most wars have been fought based on emotional responses, especially fear and anger. Anger, a natural response to situations that are unexpected, irritating, or potentially harmful, also helps human survive and evolve. Anger affects all interpersonal relationships and can cause rifts and strife among communities and cultures. However, love and attraction has had a similar effect on human evolution. Interracial marriages affect the evolution of humanity on biological and cultural levels. Mutual respect and admiration for foreign cultures and people has contributed to human evolution in the same way that fear and anger has. Love most obviously contributes to human survival by ensuring the continuation of the species, as males and females feel emotional and sexual attractions for one another. A wide range of human emotions, ma...