Tears of Joy: The Brain's Response to Beauty
When something beautiful touches us and brings us to tears, does the brain process this as joy or sadness? This intriguing question has long puzzled thinkers and scientists. A 2015 study at Yale University sheds light on this phenomenon, revealing a fascinating truth about the human brain.
Gratitude and Joy
As an unacknowledged truth until recently, the 2015 study at Yale University explored the emotional underpinnings of tears shed during moments of intense happiness. The conclusion drawn from this research is that the phenomenon is known as 'dimorphous expression,' a term that describes how intense positive emotions can elicit both positive and negative emotional responses.
The Yale Study: Understanding Dimorphous Expression
The study examined why people experience tears of joy. When we are deeply moved by a happy event, our brains are overwhelmed by a flood of positive hormonal neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. This surge in brain activity destabilizes the normal state of control that our brain typically maintains. Physiologically, the release of these hormones, including leucine-enkephalin, serves to rebalance our mood.
The release of tears during such moments helps to release stress hormones and brings the brain back to a stable state. This process is essential for recovery of normal behavioral control. It is an interesting dichotomy that can help us better understand the complex nature of human emotion.
The Heart String Analogy
The emotional response to beautiful moments is not just a physical reaction but often a deeply personal one. The analogy of a heart string is evocative. As with a string being struck on an instrument, the emotional response that is triggered is specific to the person and the situation. Sometimes it results in joy, and sometimes it results in sadness. Both these emotions stem from the same area, but they reflect how the individual's heart is struck.
Feelings are powerful tools that can be mastered. Whether we shed tears of sadness or tears of joy, whether we cry or laugh, these emotions serve to refresh the soul. Paradoxically, although sadness can constrict and hurt the body, joy and laughter often make the body feel better.
Emotional Realms: Post Hoc Thoughts
Neither joy nor sadness is the primary experience. Rather, the intensity of the emotional experience is what truly matters. It is the intensity that defines our reaction to the moment, and our thoughts and interpretations are post hoc commentary on that intensity.
Understanding the brain's response to beauty through the lens of dimorphous expression and the heart string analogy provides a richer perspective on how we process and react to emotional events. It highlights the complexity and depth of the human emotional experience.