Emotions and decision making

**Posts:** 2821 · by **Roger Elliott** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 10:35 am

Sometimes when treating clients, particularly depressed people, one of my aims is to help them develop a more subtle emotional response to perceived difficult situations.

A common reaction to this is "But I don't want to become some sort of automaton, emotions are important"

Of course the message is that it's not that emotions aren't important, it's that a lot of emotion, all the time, makes a stable life difficult.

I explain to them that it is impossible to not use your emotions. Here's a nice little report on how emotions are involved in all decision making:

Emotions and decision making

Roger

by **Guest** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:00 pm

It's something that's mentioned in Daniel Goleman's 'Emotional Intelligence' book isn't it?

How if the prefrontal-limbic system circuitry is damaged then the simplest of decisions becomes incredibly hard to make, whilst IQ remains pretty much intact.

Fascinating stuff, is it not?!

Louise

**Posts:** 24 · by **Paul Myszor** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:15 pm

Damasio's stuff is also worth reading in this area. "Descartes Error" shows how emotions and rational thought/decision making are bound together; people who suffer certain sorts of neurological damage which impair emotions can find some logical decision making processes very tricky.

In his recent books ("The feeling of being here" and "In search of Spinoza") the interweaving of thought and feeling are explored further, especially in relation to a sense of self.

**Posts:** 2821 · by **Roger Elliott** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:33 pm

Hi Paul - welcome to the forum, it's good to see you here.

For those who want to check it out, here's a link to one book Paul mentioned at Amazon.co.uk

Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow and the Feeling Brain by Antonio Damasio

and at Amazon.com

Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow and the Feeling Brain by Antonio Damasio

**Posts:** 248 · by **grovelli** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 10:46 pm

You sent me this message last April 30:
Hi Giorgio

I'm really not sure about the music effect - you could try asking our discussion list at:

http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk/newsletter.htm (bottom of page)

Roger

So I do.

In one of your articles you said the limbic system decreases its activity during hypnotic relaxation. Does listening to music you like have the same effect? What brings about those pleasurable shivers down one's spine when one listens to a music passage one really enjoys?

Ciao

Emotions and decision making

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