COGNITION, EMOTION, AND MOTIVATION 2

Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation

Link to the Website: https://jkulp1.wixsite.com/cognition/post/manage-your-blog-from-your-
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Man is believed to be an emotional being. Research suggests that species that have sophisticated
nervous systems are emotional. Emotions can be defined as strong feelings that are directed to a
specific stimulus (Brosch et al., 2013). The elicitation of emotions relates to the evaluation of
objects, events, and situations. Culture dictates how individuals should experience emotions.
Culture also defines the emotions that are acceptable. Culture also defines how emotions are felt
as well as how emotions are expressed. For example, how people feel in certain situations is
defined by culture (Lim, 2016. Culturally perceived words are used to experience emotions.

Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation

Source: https://uxdesign.cc/the-design-
of-emotions-and-emotional-
intelligence-ba00855107d3

COGNITION, EMOTION, AND MOTIVATION 3
As human beings interact with their everyday environment, they encounter large amounts
of sensory information. The result is that there is a competition for neural processing resources.
Emotion influences the selectivity of attention (Zeelenberg et al., 2006). The emotional relevance
of a stimulus influences its prioritization as well as attentional selection. Information that is
emotional tends to be prioritized. People are thus likely to pay attention to emotional
information. Emotional stimuli attract more attention compared to neutral stimuli.

Source: https://knowledgeone.ca/5-factors-influencing-memory-process/
Memory can be defined as the storage of information in mind. Emotional events are
stored with ease in one’s long-term memory (Tyng et al., 2017). For example, the memory of a
tragic event such as an accident is stored with a high level of vividness. Individuals also store
detailed memories of events such as the birth or death of a loved one. As stated earlier, attention
and perception are drawn to emotionally relevant information, with less attention being dedicated
to peripheral information. When one is trying to remember certain events, details surrounding
emotional events are more likely to be memorized (Brosch et al., 2013).

COGNITION, EMOTION, AND MOTIVATION 4

Source: https://comomag.com/2016/04/25/this-or-that-decision-making/
Decision making is a cognitive process whose aim is to select a course of action among
many alternatives. Decisions are based on logic. In making decisions, one ensures that they
evaluate the options as well as weigh in on the various consequences associated with the
decisions (Zeelenberg et al., 2008). The consequences of the decision-making process could
result in emotions. Emotions that are related to decision making include joy and disappointment
(Lerner et al., 2015). For example, if one makes a decision that results in positive consequences,
the individual is likely to experience joy and happiness. To this end, the decisions are founded on
emotions elicited due to the decision-making process. Emotions thus help one to make decisions
that are rational.

COGNITION, EMOTION, AND MOTIVATION 5

References

Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K., & Manusov, V. (2016). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K., & Manusov, V. (2016). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
Ivy, D. K., & Wahl, S. T. (2019). Nonverbal communication for a lifetime. Kendall Hunt.
Key, M. R. (Ed.). (1980). The relationship of verbal and nonverbal communication (No. 25).
Walter de Gruyter.
Lim, N. (2016). Cultural differences in emotion: differences in emotional arousal level between
the East and the West. Integrative medicine research, 5(2), 105-109.
Vrij, A., Hartwig, M., & Granhag, P. A. (2019). Reading lies: Nonverbal communication and
deception. Annual review of psychology, 70, 295-317.