How Emotions Are Made

Psychologist and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett challenges the belief that emotions are automatic, universal reactions hardwired into specific parts of the brain. In her theory of constructed emotion, the brain builds each emotion as it happens from the body's signals, past experience and culture. Her 2017 book explains the evidence and explores what this view means for medicine, the legal system and the way people understand their own feelings.

Recommended by 3 people

Lex Fridman
Tom Bilyeu: “Love this book.”
Shane Parrish: ““When scientists set aside the classical view and just look at the data, a radically different explanation for emotion comes to light. In short, we find that your emotions are not built-in but made from more basic parts. They are not universal but vary from culture to culture. They are not triggered; you create them.”