2.2.4. Outline: Prototypical
Primary Adaptive Emotion Responses:
Situations, Emotions and Adaptive
Actions
|
Situation |
Emotion |
Adaptive Actions |
|
Violation, attack on self, family or possessions |
Anger |
Assert, protect, defend self |
|
Loss, separation, psychological injury |
Sadness, emotional pain |
Seek support (e.g., crying); withdrawal into self |
|
Danger |
Fear |
Freeze, monitor, flee |
|
Exposure as having acted inappropriately |
Shame |
Correct or hide impropriety to protect social standing,
connection with others |
|
Offensive, dirty, indigestible object or person |
Disgust, contempt |
Expel or avoid object or person |
|
Change, novel stimuli |
Surprise, interest, curiosity, excitement |
Attend, approach, explore, engage |
|
Achievement of goal, task, need or connection |
Happiness, joy |
Friendly interaction, future seeking of similar situations |
|
Highly valued other |
Love, affection, caring |
Contact, express positive regard; strengthen attachment bonds |
Compiled from Greenberg & Paivio (1997).
Materials designed to
accompany the book Learning Emotion-Focused Therapy: The
Process-Experiential Approach to Change from APA Books.
©2003 Robert Elliott, Jeanne Watson, Rhonda Goldman, and Leslie Greenberg
http://www.process-experiential.org/learning