7 Laws Of Emotions According To Nico Frijda

Psychologist Nico Frijda was an authoritative researcher. In 2006, she published an article in which she explained what she said are the 7 laws of emotion. His purpose was to establish “formulas” of emotions.

Emotions are realities that are difficult to classify. Finding common emotional patterns between individuals is even more difficult. But based on extensive research, Frijda assumed that there are general rules that can be applied globally. 

This researcher pointed out that  there are exceptions to the rules. However, in his view, the agreed models are more than just deviations. Although Frijda originally published 12 laws of emotions, they can be summarized into seven. These laws are as follows.

1. Situational significance

According to Frijda, emotions are the result of certain situations. They don’t just appear spontaneously, without any premise, but they come from certain scenarios. As much as scenarios exist only in the imagination, they always have to do with real situations.

Therefore,  two similar situations create the same type of emotional reaction. Thus, loss leads to sorrow and success leads to happiness. No matter what the loss or achievement is, the emotional reaction is always the same.

2. Obvious reality

This is the most interesting law of emotion. It assumes that  we humans react emotionally to what we consider to be reality. Not to what is true, but to what we give that quality of reality.

Interpreting reality makes emotions appear, not reality itself. This is the reason why, for example, we can cry while watching a movie or why we are afraid to imagine a danger that doesn’t really exist.

3. Change, habit, and relative feeling

In this case, there are three laws of emotion: change, habit, and relative emotion. The law of habituation says that we always get used to our circumstances, and we see them as “normal,” even if they are not. Our emotional reaction to the ordinary is not intense.

The law of relative emotion suggests that we always compare the intensity of our emotional reaction, either consciously or unconsciously. The law of change suggests that  in the face of something new, the emotional reaction is stronger.

4. Hedonistic asymmetry

This is one of the most confusing feelings. Imagine how difficult it is to get used to negative situations. In this case, our emotional reaction is opposition and the relative application of the law of habituation.

In the event of positive situations, the opposite happens. We get used to them much more easily. Therefore, and because we get used to it,  positive emotions tend to be less intense every time until they disappear. 

5. Maintaining emotional momentum

Negative experiences maintain their emotional power for a long time. Their effect can last for several years. Emotions are present, even if the situation is already gone.

This will remain unchanged until a similar situation emerges and can be reassessed in a positive way. This means that this problem must be revived and properly addressed so that the negative feeling can disappear.

6. Closing and dealing with the consequences

The law of closure says that emotions tend to create an absolute idea of ​​reality. When the intensity of the emotion is high, we can see everything in black and white. We only appreciate the other side of the problem.

The next law of emotion is caring for the consequences. This suggests  that people tend to regulate their emotions, depending on the consequences they cause. For example, we may feel a lot of anger, but we will not attack unless the consequences are severe.

7. Lightest cargo and greatest achievement

The Lighter Load Act says that  people can change their feelings if they interpret the situation differently. A person tends to look for interpretations that help them distance themselves from negative emotions. For example, “if this bad situation happens to me, it means something good is coming.”

The law of greatest achievement suggests that we seek to reinterpret situations in order to achieve emotional benefits from  this new perspective. For example, if we are afraid of high places, we assume that everyone who plays in high places is really irresponsible.

Frijda’s 7 laws of emotion are a contribution to the long-term task of understanding people’s emotions. While he regards these as laws, in reality not all schools of psychology have adopted them as laws. However, this does not diminish the value of the laws.