2. WHAT ARE EMOTIONS?
In psychology and philosophy,
emotion is a subjective,
conscious experience
characterized primarily by
psychophysiological
expressions, biological
reactions, and mental states
3. We all experience emotion. Our emotions are shaped by our personal
experiences such as upbringing, environment education and
many other factors...
So its impossible to discount emotions when making decisions and thinking critically
4. Here are some common misconceptions from criticalthinking.org about emotions and
critical thinking, how many of these have you heard or even thought?:
Emotions and reason are often in conflict with each other
It is possible to be an emotional person (and hence do little reasoning)
It is possible to be a rational person (and hence experience little emotion
Rational persons are cold, mechanical, and lack such desirable traits as compassion and sympathy
Emotional persons are lively, energetic, and colorful (though they are poor reasoners or do not follow their reasoning when
making decisions)
Emotion and reason function independently of each other
5. But did you know:
Getting in touch with your emotions is actually part of the critical
thinking process!!
6. Research has found that emotional intelligence is an important skill that
can teach us a lot about ourselves and thinking critically.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to
discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional
information to guide thinking and behavior. - Psychology Today
7. So instead of ignoring your emotions when making a decision
EMBRACE THEM
IDENTIFY THEM
and think critically about them as well.
