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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

Emotions as mind organs.

Beatrice de Gelder¹, Mathieu Vandenbulcke

¹Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Tilburg University, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands. B.deGelder@uvt.nl

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences

|May 24, 2012

Summary

This study challenges the strict separation of internal mental states from external natural processes. Adopting psychologism to reject naturalism in emotion research is ultimately self-defeating, proposing emotions as mental organs instead.

Area of Science:

Cognitive Science
Philosophy of Mind
Neuroscience

Background:

The debate on emotions often contrasts internal, mind-made processes with external, naturalistic explanations.
Lindquist et al. advocate for psychologism while rejecting naturalism regarding emotional mind/brain areas.

Purpose of the Study:

To challenge the dichotomy between naturalism and psychologism in emotion research.
To demonstrate the self-defeating nature of using psychologism against naturalistic views of emotion.
To propose an alternative framework for understanding emotions as mental organs.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis and critique of existing theoretical frameworks.
Argumentative approach to deconstruct the naturalism vs. psychologism opposition.

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Published on: February 1, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Published on: May 4, 2011

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition

Published on: February 1, 2012

Theoretical development of the 'mental organ' concept for emotions.

Main Results:

The opposition between naturalism and psychologism in understanding emotions is fundamentally flawed.
Endorsing psychologism to refute naturalism regarding emotional mind/brain areas leads to a self-defeating position.
Emotions can be conceptualized as specialized mental organs.

Conclusions:

The strict internal/external or mind-made/natural division is inadequate for understanding the mind.
A more integrated approach is needed, viewing emotions as functional mental organs.
This perspective offers a novel way to reconceptualize emotion research.