• Question: howw do we experience sadness happynes and lust?

    Asked by knivesandpens to Helen, Jenni, Mark, Martin, Stu on 14 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by lamreislwh.
    • Photo: Jenni Tilley

      Jenni Tilley answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      I’m not really sure, but I know that different parts of our brain ‘light up’ on an MRI scan when we feel different emotion http://www.insidestory.iop.org/mri.html

    • Photo: Helen O'Connor

      Helen O'Connor answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Jenni is right, fMRI scans can show how the brain is more active in certain areas when we do, say or feel different things. I think that about 4 or 5 different brain regions are involved in sexual attraction/arousal (lust in other words). But in terms of how we actually experience it, we are all unique. Some people can also control their emotions better – what is called “self regulation” of emotions. So whereas I might cry when I watched sad film, someone else would maybe feel a bit sad, but would be able to stop themselves crying. One of the things I work with athletes on is controlling emotions during competition – like anger (when the ref makes a bad decision!) or fear (of failure).

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