The Emotion-Affect Theory

The Emotion-Affect Theory suggests that our emotional responses are driven by underlying feelings, called affects, which are more instinctive and less conscious than specific emotions. These affects act as a foundation influencing how we interpret and experience emotions like happiness, anger, or fear. Essentially, affects are the subtle, initial states that shape our emotional reactions, providing a background tone that colors our perceptions and behaviors. This theory helps explain why some emotional responses happen automatically, often before we consciously recognize why we're feeling a certain way.