Loading...
September 28, 2024 • 1hr 37min
#844 - Dr Laith Al-Shawaf - Why Do Humans Actually Have Emotions?
Modern Wisdom
In this episode, host Chris Williamson interviews Dr. Laith Al-Shawaf, an evolutionary psychologist and associate professor at UCCS. They discuss the evolutionary origins and functions of human emotions, challenging the view that emotions are irrational forces. Dr. Al-Shawaf explains how emotions serve as adaptive mechanisms that coordinate changes in our bodies and minds to help solve survival and reproductive challenges. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including the functions of specific emotions, s*x differences, and how an evolutionary perspective can inform our relationship with our emotions.
#844 - Dr Laith Al-Shawaf - Why Do Humans Actually Have Emotions?
0:00
-0:00
Key Takeaways
- Emotions serve important evolutionary functions - They are not irrational forces, but adaptive mechanisms that help us survive and reproduce
- Emotions are more than just feelings - They involve coordinated changes in physiology, cognition, attention, behavior etc. to help solve adaptive problems
- Both positive and negative emotions are functional - Even aversive emotions like fear, disgust, and shame serve important purposes
- An evolutionary perspective helps resolve the "emotion paradox" - Emotions can be both adaptive and cause distress because they evolved for survival, not happiness
- Emotions can misfire or be overactive - E.g. anxiety is hyperactive by design as a protective mechanism, even if it causes distress
- There are s*x differences in emotions - E.g. women have stronger disgust responses, especially to sexual and pathogen disgust
- Understanding the evolutionary basis of emotions can reduce self-judgment - Realizing emotions have adaptive functions can reduce shame/frustration about experiencing them
- A nuanced approach to emotions is best - Neither vilifying nor blindly trusting emotions, but evaluating each instance for its utility
Introduction
In this episode, host Chris Williamson interviews Dr. Laith Al-Shawaf, an evolutionary psychologist and associate professor at UCCS. They discuss the evolutionary origins and functions of human emotions, challenging the view that emotions are irrational forces. Dr. Al-Shawaf explains how emotions serve as adaptive mechanisms that coordinate changes in our bodies and minds to help solve survival and reproductive challenges. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including the functions of specific emotions, s*x differences, and how an evolutionary perspective can inform our relationship with our emotions.
Topics Discussed
The Adaptive Functions of Emotions (04:00)
Dr. Al-Shawaf begins by explaining that emotions have evolved to serve important functions related to survival and reproduction:
- Fear protects us from danger
- Disgust protects us from pathogens and contamination
- Anger helps us negotiate better treatment from others
- Romantic love bonds couples together
- Envy helps navigate status hierarchies
He notes that emotions have often been maligned as irrational, but argues they each serve important adaptive functions. Even negative emotions that cause distress have evolved for good reasons.
Emotions as Coordinating Mechanisms (07:32)
Dr. Al-Shawaf emphasizes that emotions are more than just feelings - they coordinate changes across multiple systems:
- Attention (e.g. narrowing focus to threats when afraid)
- Perception (e.g. heightened senses when afraid)
- Physiology (e.g. suppressing digestion when afraid)
- Behavior (e.g. escape behaviors when afraid)
- Memory (e.g. better recall of escape routes when afraid)
He describes emotions as "coordinating mechanisms" or "modes of operation" that orchestrate these changes to help solve adaptive problems.
The Emotion Paradox (05:31)
Dr. Al-Shawaf discusses the "emotion paradox" - the fact that emotions are both adaptive/functional and can cause great distress. He offers several insights to resolve this paradox:
- Emotions evolved for survival/reproduction, not happiness
- Emotions evolved for adaptive action, not accuracy
- Evolutionary mismatch - emotions that were ancestrally adaptive may not be currently adaptive
Understanding these points can help reduce self-judgment about experiencing difficult emotions.
Specific Emotions and Their Functions (29:09)
The discussion covers several specific emotions in detail:
Fear:
- Protects from dangers like predators, hostile humans, falling
- Narrows attention, heightens perception, mobilizes energy for escape
Disgust:
- Protects from pathogens and contamination
- Triggers immune responses, reduces openness to new experiences
Anger:
- Helps negotiate better treatment from others
- Signals willingness to impose costs if not treated well
Shame:
- Prevents behaviors that would lead to social devaluation
- Motivates hiding information about shameful acts
Pride:
- Motivates behaviors that increase social valuation
- Promotes advertising positive traits/accomplishments
S*x Differences in Emotions (1:15:24)
Dr. Al-Shawaf discusses some key s*x differences in emotions:
- Women have stronger disgust responses, especially to sexual and pathogen disgust
- Women experience more internalizing emotions like sadness, anxiety, depression
- Men experience more externalizing emotions like anger
He notes that the reasons for these differences are not fully understood, but offers some hypotheses related to different adaptive challenges faced by men and women.
Emotions and Decision Making (1:00:56)
Dr. Al-Shawaf challenges the notion that emotions interfere with rational decision making:
- Patients with brain damage affecting emotions struggle to make even simple decisions
- Emotions provide important inputs that help us choose between options
- Organisms without emotions would be less capable of intelligent action, not more
Applying Evolutionary Insights to Emotional Experiences (1:29:14)
Dr. Al-Shawaf offers advice on applying these evolutionary insights:
- Avoid blanket vilification or acceptance of emotions
- Take a nuanced, case-by-case approach to each emotional experience
- Ask: What's the function of this emotion? Is it serving that function now?
- Determine if the emotion is helping solve a problem or interfering with life
- Use this analysis to decide whether to sit with the emotion or try to regulate it
He emphasizes that understanding the adaptive functions of emotions can reduce shame and self-judgment about experiencing them.
Emotions and Group Dynamics (1:09:18)
The discussion touches on how emotions function in group contexts:
- Reputation management and social acceptance were crucial for survival in ancestral environments
- Shame and pride closely track what others would socially value or devalue
- Even simple social exclusion in lab settings causes emotional pain
Byproducts (Spandrels) of Emotions (1:22:31)
Dr. Al-Shawaf explains the concept of evolutionary byproducts or "spandrels" - traits that didn't evolve for a specific purpose but are side effects of other adaptations. Some proposed emotional spandrels include:
- Religious belief as a byproduct of agency detection
- Murder as a byproduct of evolved aggression mechanisms
- Difficulty learning to read as a byproduct of spoken language adaptations
Conclusion
This wide-ranging discussion offers a nuanced evolutionary perspective on human emotions. Dr. Al-Shawaf challenges simplistic views of emotions as irrational forces to be suppressed, instead framing them as sophisticated adaptive mechanisms that coordinate changes across our minds and bodies. Understanding the evolutionary functions of emotions can help reduce self-judgment about experiencing them, while still recognizing that they can misfire or be maladaptive in modern contexts. The conversation highlights the value of a balanced approach - neither vilifying emotions nor blindly trusting them, but evaluating each instance for its utility in solving adaptive challenges. This evolutionary lens provides a rich framework for understanding our emotional lives and potentially improving our relationship with our emotions.