I.2.a.. Toward an Understandable Definition of Emotion

It’s not a question of whether a building makes us feel good or bad. It’s about being moved. That’s what the word emotion means. What we feel is the sense of intensity, passion and involvement.

20 DANIEL LIBESKIND

INTRODUCTION “Many have sought but no one has found a commonly accepted definition for

the concept of emotion.” 21 Attempts to define emotion can be traced back at least as far as Plato and Aristotle. The nature of emotion was debated by philosophers, psychologists, researchers, and architects... A series of theories will be explored and explained in order to get a better vision and understanding of the emotion’s definition and the way to stimulate it .

A/ Generality :

Dictionary Emotion

Etymology

a conscious mental reaction (such as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body. from French “émotion”, from Old French “emouvoir” = “stir up” that comes from Latin “emovere” meaning to “move out, stir up, agitate”

According to the APA (American Psychological Association), emotion is defined as “ a complex reaction pattern, involving experiential, behavioral and physiological elements.” Emotions are how people react emotionally to issues or circumstances that have personal significance for them.

A wide range of occurrences, including passions, sentiments, temperament, and moods, are frequently referred to as “emotions.” Despite the frequent confusion between these terms, they actually refer to distinct experiential occurrences. Three different affective states will be discussed.

Moods Emotional Traits Sentiments

Retreating through Emotions Page

Moods

+ Tends to be non-intentional, lasts for a long time + not caused by a particular object, but by the surroundings (combined causes )

so we are unable to specify the cause of a particular mood Emotional Traits

+ it is the character a person that persists through a lifetime (his personality ) + not directed at a particular subject

so we are able to identify it through our selves or the others

we can interfere

B/ Theories of Emotion :

To begin this presentation/discussion and to clarify more let’s assume someone is standing in front of this gigantic column at a Greek temple, it was enormous that it made you feel small.

James L. was the first who asked this question “What is an Emotion?” which was the title of his book where he presented his theory. His theory argues that an event causes physiological response first and then we interpret this response. Only after our interpretation of this arousal* can we experience emotion. If the arousal is not noticed or is not given any thought, then we will not experience any emotion based on this event.

Walter Canon and Phillip Bard questioned the James Lange Theory and argues that we experience physiological arousal and emotional at the same time, but gives no attention to the role of thoughts or outward behaviour. Sentiments

+ may persist throughout time + it involves a person subject relationship ( our likes and dislikes, or our perceptions/ attitudes towards architecture

We are able to identify it

Person’s Rservoir, Background

Figure n°33: Feeling Small ( photo small ( photo editededited by the Author)by the Author )

a/ James Lange Theory 1884 :

see these gigantic column Heart Beats fast “I feel Small “

See Stimulus

Physiological Response

Figure n°34: James Lange Theory 1884 ( Source Author )

Feeling Emotion

b/ Canon - Bard Theory 1927 :