When opposite emotions such as joy and sadness collide, a third feeling can arise: that of emotion. This impulse has not yet been researched very much – although it has an important function.
When was the last time you had tears in your eyes, a lump in your throat or goosebumps after experiencing something beautiful? Perhaps you witnessed an extraordinary act, finally saw an old friend after many years, held a newborn in your arms or attended your daughter’s wedding. Artwork, speeches, and even advertisements can trigger the same emotional state. Although most people are familiar with this feeling, which we call emotion, it is difficult to grasp: Why is it so strange that a person is crying, for example, although they are experiencing something positive? What unites these different situations that move emotionally? And does emotion have an evolutionary function – does it motivate a person to behave in a certain way, just as fear can cause flight, anger can cause defense, and joy can cause rapprochement?