Español The Emotions
Emotional components have long been neglected in institutional education. Recent contributions of neuroscientists are helping to remedy this deficiency by revealing the emotional dimension of learning.
As opposed to “affect”, which is their conscious interpretation, emotions arise from cerebral processes and are necessary for the adaptation and regulation of human behaviour.
Emotions are complex reactions generally described in terms of three components: a particular mental state, a physiological change and an impulsion to act.
Therefore, faced with a situation perceived as dangerous, the reactions engendered will simultaneously consist of a specific cerebral activation of the circuit devoted to fear, body reactions typical of fear (e.g. accelerated pulse, pallor and perspiring) and the fight-or-flight reaction.
Each emotion corresponds to a distinct functional system and has its own cerebral circuit involving structures in what we call the “limbic system” (also known as the “seat of the emotions”), as well as cortical structures, mainly the prefrontal cortex which plays a prime role in regulating emotions.
Incidentally, the prefrontal cortex matures particularly late in human beings, concluding its development in the third decade of an individual’s development.
This means that cerebral adolescence lasts longer than was, until recently, thought, which helps to explain certain features of behaviour: the full development of the prefrontal cortex, and therefore the regulation of emotions and compensation for potential excesses of the limbic system, occur relatively late in an individual’s development.
Continual exchanges make it impossible to separate the physiological, emotional and cognitive components of a particular behaviour.
The strength of this interconnectivity explains the substantial impact of emotions on learning.
If a positively perceived emotion is associated with learning, it will facilitate success, whereas a negatively perceived emotion will result in failure.
As opposed to “affect”, which is their conscious interpretation, emotions arise from cerebral processes and are necessary for the adaptation and regulation of human behaviour.
Emotions are complex reactions generally described in terms of three components: a particular mental state, a physiological change and an impulsion to act.
Therefore, faced with a situation perceived as dangerous, the reactions engendered will simultaneously consist of a specific cerebral activation of the circuit devoted to fear, body reactions typical of fear (e.g. accelerated pulse, pallor and perspiring) and the fight-or-flight reaction.
Each emotion corresponds to a distinct functional system and has its own cerebral circuit involving structures in what we call the “limbic system” (also known as the “seat of the emotions”), as well as cortical structures, mainly the prefrontal cortex which plays a prime role in regulating emotions.
Incidentally, the prefrontal cortex matures particularly late in human beings, concluding its development in the third decade of an individual’s development.
This means that cerebral adolescence lasts longer than was, until recently, thought, which helps to explain certain features of behaviour: the full development of the prefrontal cortex, and therefore the regulation of emotions and compensation for potential excesses of the limbic system, occur relatively late in an individual’s development.
Continual exchanges make it impossible to separate the physiological, emotional and cognitive components of a particular behaviour.
The strength of this interconnectivity explains the substantial impact of emotions on learning.
If a positively perceived emotion is associated with learning, it will facilitate success, whereas a negatively perceived emotion will result in failure.
"Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science", 2007, page 25
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