The basic emotions and brain laterality: the feeling-function model.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• The lateralization of emotion, or which hemisphere of the brain processes emotions, has been debated.
• Four prevailing models (Right-Hemisphere, Valence, Approach-Avoidance, Emotion-Type) attempt to explain this, but none fully account for basic emotion lateralization.
• Existing models fail to explain the distinct brain lateralization patterns observed for fundamental emotions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on emotion lateralization.
• To propose a new model, the Feeling-Function Model, to explain the lateralization of basic emotions.
• To test the proposed model against established theories using eight basic emotions.

Main Methods:

• Focused literature review of studies on emotion lateralization.
• Analysis of the lateralization patterns of eight basic emotions: sadness, fear, anticipation, acceptance, happiness, anger, surprise, and disgust.
• Conceptual development of the Feeling-Function Model based on review findings.

Main Results:

• Four basic emotions (sadness, fear, anticipation, acceptance) are predominantly right-lateralized.
• Their opposites (happiness, anger, surprise, disgust) are predominantly left-lateralized.
• The Feeling-Function Model successfully classifies these eight emotions based on their lateralization.

Conclusions:

• The Feeling-Function Model posits that right-lateralized emotions involve global feeling states and awareness of physiological changes.
• Left-lateralized emotions are proposed to be goal-oriented and functional, facilitating action towards environmental opportunities and problems.
• This new model offers a more comprehensive explanation for the lateralization of basic emotions than previous theories.