Emotions and Neurosociology

Abstract

Emotion and cognition are not separate and opposing products of the brain. Emotion is essential for decision making as neuroscientists have shown. Cognition enables planning and analysis, but by itself does not move us to action. Emotion both organizes the brain and moves it to action on the world. Emotion also exists prior to cognition both developmentally and generally. These issues are discussed in this chapter. Then, rather than reviewing how emotional states are tied to the brain, I discuss how emotional styles are linked to the brain. This is followed by a discussion of one emotional state (empathy) and mirror neurons. I conclude with some thoughts for future research.