![]() Sadness serves the function of motivating “pausing and reflecting” during times of loss, which allows for mental accommodation of the new situation and understanding. ![]() Support for a functionalist view of sadness is actually quite robust. Why would we need such a low-motivation, negative state, particularly one that is a key contributor to mental illnesses, such as depression? The case for sadness, though, seems at first glance to be tenuous. The evolutionary argument for why we have negative emotions such as disgust and fear is fairly logical. In addition to motivating taking time to ‘pause and reflect’, it can also confer social support in times when that support is most needed: loss. Sadness has its place in the human affective system. That is: experiencing a variety of states, both positive and negative, is correlated with mental and physical health. Recent evidence suggests that it’s “ emodiversity” that underscores psychological well-being. Excess happiness, especially over extended amounts of time and in inappropriate contexts, is a key feature of bipolar disorder. There can also be too much of a good thing – literally. This is clearly the case with negative emotions, and indeed, excess anxiety, anger, sadness and fear contribute to many mental illnesses and social ills. That is, if any one emotion “over-fires” it’s likely to have negative consequences for adaptive functioning. Like other systems, the affective system runs most efficiently when things are in relative balance. Smell something rotten? Disgust prevents ingestion. Notice a threatening predator? Fear promotes fight-or-flight. Negative states, on the other hand, alert us to things that need attention and remediation. As such, positive emotions often promote savouring and relaxation, or curiosity-driven exploration and building of psychological resources. Basically, emotions help us to survive.Īs the theory goes, positive states arise out of situations where there is no pressing demand or threat. According to this view, the human affective system developed under evolutionary pressures to aid in the navigation of physical surroundings, and increasingly over recent evolutionary history, social relationships. Recognition of the need for a diversity of emotions is firmly rooted in “ functionalist” theoretical approaches. What goes on in your head? A functionalist script
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