8:21 17:19 Vox) 49 97% What We Know ab...rd D. Roberts.pdf - Read-only This account does not allow editing on your device. For an account with ... Emotions: What Are They Good For? The ancient Greeks viewed emotions as primitive and irrational passions that needed constantly to be curbed or tamed. Modern theories of emo- tions, by contrast, posit that emotions are adaptations that have impor- tant evolutionary functions critical to survival (Lazarus 1991). For evolutionary theorists, emotions are universal, hardwired affective pro- How Social Is Emotional Intelligence? Functions of Emotions •Signal meaning of event to self and others • Enlist social support ■Regulate behavior •Maintain social control and hierarchy •Organize activity Influence cognitive processing 171 || grams that solve recurrent threats to human survival (Lazarus 1991). In- deed Charles Darwin (1872) realized that the communication of emotions has considerable survival value, with emotional expression (e.g., postur- ing) serving to signal specific messages to others in the group (e.g., be- ware, snake in the grass), so that behavior and action can be coordinated. A social-functional view of emotions suggests that emotions signal so- cially relevant information. This information is of potential use for under- standing how to engage successfully in social life and how to interact adaptively with others (Keltner and Kring 1998; Parkinson et al. 2005). The sidebar above gives a summary of these important functions. Emotions provide us, for one, with invaluable information about the nature and meaning of the social context and what is important to a per- son engaging in a social encounter. How one feels about a person, object, or episode in the environment acts as an affective barometer, representing the latter's overall personal significance. The very fact that one is upset about something in the course of social interaction, for example, is prima facie evidence that whatever is going on really matters to that person (Scherer 2007). Emotions also communicate the meanings of events to the self and others. According to Lazarus's cognitive-motivational theory, the ex- pression of emotions serves to communicate core relational themes to the target of the emotional reaction. For example, the expression of fear com- municates: "I feel that I am in danger and in need of protection." Facial expressions that are universally recognized as being associated with specific emotions, alert others to the situation, and inform others of threat and situational opportunities and affordances. Presumably high EI indi- viduals would be more accurate in picking up the meaning of the message being communicated and in responding in a more adaptive manner than their low El counterparts. 172 192 of 463 Emotional Intelligence Observed In addition emotions serve an important function in facilitating social support. Thus, having been in a traumatic situation, people often want |||