Emotions scholar Gerben Van Kleef says emotions are a defining feature of the human condition. They structure our relationships and imbue our lives with meaning and purpose.

While sometimes confusing, emotions are part of us, so we might as well learn to use them well. Here are five quick facts about emotions to get you started –

Quick Fact #1

Emotions are electrochemical signals. They flow through us in an unending cycle and are released in our brains and flow all throughout our body, all the time, regulating everything, including our thoughts.

Quick Fact #2

Emotions are neutral. Emotions are not inherently good or bad. It may seem this way, since, for example, joy seems to be a clear winner over sadness. But joy and sadness have more in common than we think. Joy means we get something we care about; sadness means we lose something we care about. Emotions are simply signals, delivering a message. 

Quick Fact #3

Emotions are contagious. Feelings spread between people like a virus, even if we’re not paying attention to emotions. Whether we’re in a group or with one other person, we can “catch” both positive and negative emotions. We are social creatures. And because of that, we have a tendency to pick up on each other’s emotional states. 

Quick Fact #4

Emotions are absorbed in the body in about six seconds. Each burst of emotion chemicals, from the time it is produced in the hypothalamus to the time it’s completely broken down and absorbed, lasts about six seconds. Recognizing what emotion we are feeling, evaluating its purpose relative to our situation, and deciding whether to recreate it is what emotional intelligence is all about.

Quick Fact #5

Emotions are different than feelings – and moods.. Emotions are reactions to stimuli, but feelings are what we experience as a result of emotions. Feelings are influenced by our perception of the situation, which is why the same emotion can trigger different feelings among people experiencing it. A mood, meanwhile, can be described as a temporary emotional state that can take moments or a longer period of time.

Different types of emotions seem to rule our daily lives. We make decisions based on whether we are happy, angry, sad, bored, or frustrated. We choose activities and hobbies based on the emotions they incite. Understanding emotions can help us navigate life with greater ease and stability.