Dr. Ethan Kross

So I'm still focusing there on the task at hand, but I have this sensory experience that is shifting my emotions really outside of my awareness and doing it relatively effortlessly. Distracting myself by focusing on something else entirely, that's a real attentional shift. Now I'm just not thinking about the issue at hand. And that's giving me some mental space.

So I'm still focusing there on the task at hand, but I have this sensory experience that is shifting my emotions really outside of my awareness and doing it relatively effortlessly. Distracting myself by focusing on something else entirely, that's a real attentional shift. Now I'm just not thinking about the issue at hand. And that's giving me some mental space.

So I'm still focusing there on the task at hand, but I have this sensory experience that is shifting my emotions really outside of my awareness and doing it relatively effortlessly. Distracting myself by focusing on something else entirely, that's a real attentional shift. Now I'm just not thinking about the issue at hand. And that's giving me some mental space.

But when I'm looking at the bigger picture, once again, I still have the experience I'm concerned about in full view. It isn't a focus of my attention, but I am reframing. I'm changing the way I think about it. Now, when I go to speak to another person, they are certainly helping me reframe it. So there's overlap there. But the added benefit I get when I talk to someone else is

But when I'm looking at the bigger picture, once again, I still have the experience I'm concerned about in full view. It isn't a focus of my attention, but I am reframing. I'm changing the way I think about it. Now, when I go to speak to another person, they are certainly helping me reframe it. So there's overlap there. But the added benefit I get when I talk to someone else is

But when I'm looking at the bigger picture, once again, I still have the experience I'm concerned about in full view. It isn't a focus of my attention, but I am reframing. I'm changing the way I think about it. Now, when I go to speak to another person, they are certainly helping me reframe it. So there's overlap there. But the added benefit I get when I talk to someone else is

that it's sometimes a lot easier for us to reframe when other people guide us through it than when we try to do it ourselves.

that it's sometimes a lot easier for us to reframe when other people guide us through it than when we try to do it ourselves.

that it's sometimes a lot easier for us to reframe when other people guide us through it than when we try to do it ourselves.

It's a great question. It's something that scientists actively study. I like to think of emotions as tools. So these are tools that we evolved to help us navigate the world. You can think about emotions as like these little software programs that get loaded up in particular situations. And these are programs that activate emotions. what we call a loosely coordinated set of responses.

It's a great question. It's something that scientists actively study. I like to think of emotions as tools. So these are tools that we evolved to help us navigate the world. You can think about emotions as like these little software programs that get loaded up in particular situations. And these are programs that activate emotions. what we call a loosely coordinated set of responses.

It's a great question. It's something that scientists actively study. I like to think of emotions as tools. So these are tools that we evolved to help us navigate the world. You can think about emotions as like these little software programs that get loaded up in particular situations. And these are programs that activate emotions. what we call a loosely coordinated set of responses.

What I mean by that is when you experience an emotion, your physiology may start to shift. So if we stick with anxiety, you might start to experience a kind of fight or flight response. You have to go to the bathroom, your palms start to sweat. Emotions capture our cognition or how we think as well. So when I experience anxiety, it zooms me in, it focuses me in on the problem at hand.

What I mean by that is when you experience an emotion, your physiology may start to shift. So if we stick with anxiety, you might start to experience a kind of fight or flight response. You have to go to the bathroom, your palms start to sweat. Emotions capture our cognition or how we think as well. So when I experience anxiety, it zooms me in, it focuses me in on the problem at hand.

What I mean by that is when you experience an emotion, your physiology may start to shift. So if we stick with anxiety, you might start to experience a kind of fight or flight response. You have to go to the bathroom, your palms start to sweat. Emotions capture our cognition or how we think as well. So when I experience anxiety, it zooms me in, it focuses me in on the problem at hand.

So I'm focusing really intently on it. Emotions also can influence our motor behavior or our facial display. So Mike, can you often tell when someone is sad, for example, by the look on their face? Sure, of course. So this is a loosely coordinated set of responses.

So I'm focusing really intently on it. Emotions also can influence our motor behavior or our facial display. So Mike, can you often tell when someone is sad, for example, by the look on their face? Sure, of course. So this is a loosely coordinated set of responses.

So I'm focusing really intently on it. Emotions also can influence our motor behavior or our facial display. So Mike, can you often tell when someone is sad, for example, by the look on their face? Sure, of course. So this is a loosely coordinated set of responses.

I say loosely because it's not the case that all three of those things always get triggered every time you experience an emotion, but they tend to hang together. And the whole idea here is that we evolve the capacity to experience these emotions because they help us. So anxiety focuses us in on potential threats, allowing us to prepare for them. Anger is another example.

I say loosely because it's not the case that all three of those things always get triggered every time you experience an emotion, but they tend to hang together. And the whole idea here is that we evolve the capacity to experience these emotions because they help us. So anxiety focuses us in on potential threats, allowing us to prepare for them. Anger is another example.