Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages
Traditional cognitive linguistic theories acknowledge that human emotions are embodied, yet they fail to distinguish the dimensions that reflect the direction of neural signaling between the brain and body. Differences exist across languages and cultures in whether embodied emotions are conceptualiz...
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/7/911 |
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| author | Pin Zhou Hugo Critchley Yoko Nagai Chao Wang |
| author_facet | Pin Zhou Hugo Critchley Yoko Nagai Chao Wang |
| author_sort | Pin Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Traditional cognitive linguistic theories acknowledge that human emotions are embodied, yet they fail to distinguish the dimensions that reflect the direction of neural signaling between the brain and body. Differences exist across languages and cultures in whether embodied emotions are conceptualized as <i>afferent</i> (feelings from the body) or <i>efferent</i> (enacted through the body). This important distinction has been neglected in academic discourse, arguably as a consequence of the ‘lexical approach’, and the dominance within the affective psychology of the cognitive and semantic models that overlook the role of interoception as an essential component of affective experience. Empirical and theoretical advances in human neuroscience are driving a reappraisal of the relationships between the mind, brain and body, with particular relevance to emotions. Allostatic (predictive) control of the internal bodily states is considered fundamental to the experience of emotions enacted through interoceptive sensory feelings and through the evoked physiological and physical actions mediated through efferent neural pathways. Embodied emotion concepts encompass these categorized outcomes of bidirectional brain–body interactions yet can be differentiated further into afferent or interoceptive and efferent or autonomic processes. Between languages, a comparison of emotion words indicates the dominance of afferent or interoceptive processes in how embodied emotions are conceptualized in Chinese, while efferent or autonomic processes feature more commonly in English. Correspondingly, in linguistic expressions of emotion, Chinese-speaking people are biased toward being more receptive, reflective, and adaptive, whereas native English speakers may tend to be more reactive, proactive, and interactive. Arguably, these distinct conceptual models of emotions may shape the perceived divergent values and ‘national character’ of Chinese- and English-speaking cultures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:09:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6e958bbadf8b4110b9e9e24beb840f3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:09:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6e958bbadf8b4110b9e9e24beb840f3c2023-11-30T22:54:05ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-07-0112791110.3390/brainsci12070911Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese LanguagesPin Zhou0Hugo Critchley1Yoko Nagai2Chao Wang3College of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaSackler Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RN, UKBSMS Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9 RX, UKCollege of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaTraditional cognitive linguistic theories acknowledge that human emotions are embodied, yet they fail to distinguish the dimensions that reflect the direction of neural signaling between the brain and body. Differences exist across languages and cultures in whether embodied emotions are conceptualized as <i>afferent</i> (feelings from the body) or <i>efferent</i> (enacted through the body). This important distinction has been neglected in academic discourse, arguably as a consequence of the ‘lexical approach’, and the dominance within the affective psychology of the cognitive and semantic models that overlook the role of interoception as an essential component of affective experience. Empirical and theoretical advances in human neuroscience are driving a reappraisal of the relationships between the mind, brain and body, with particular relevance to emotions. Allostatic (predictive) control of the internal bodily states is considered fundamental to the experience of emotions enacted through interoceptive sensory feelings and through the evoked physiological and physical actions mediated through efferent neural pathways. Embodied emotion concepts encompass these categorized outcomes of bidirectional brain–body interactions yet can be differentiated further into afferent or interoceptive and efferent or autonomic processes. Between languages, a comparison of emotion words indicates the dominance of afferent or interoceptive processes in how embodied emotions are conceptualized in Chinese, while efferent or autonomic processes feature more commonly in English. Correspondingly, in linguistic expressions of emotion, Chinese-speaking people are biased toward being more receptive, reflective, and adaptive, whereas native English speakers may tend to be more reactive, proactive, and interactive. Arguably, these distinct conceptual models of emotions may shape the perceived divergent values and ‘national character’ of Chinese- and English-speaking cultures.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/7/911emotionconceptualizationinteroceptionafferentefferent |
| spellingShingle | Pin Zhou Hugo Critchley Yoko Nagai Chao Wang Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages Brain Sciences emotion conceptualization interoception afferent efferent |
| title | Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages |
| title_full | Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages |
| title_fullStr | Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages |
| title_short | Divergent Conceptualization of Embodied Emotions in the English and Chinese Languages |
| title_sort | divergent conceptualization of embodied emotions in the english and chinese languages |
| topic | emotion conceptualization interoception afferent efferent |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/7/911 |
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