TOK Entry - Personal Emotion Inventory

1. List as many emotions as you can that you have personally experienced.

• Happiness, regret, anger, annoyance, confusion, boredom, sleepiness, fear, timid, surprise, uncertainty, sadness... etc. 

2. How intensely do you feel emotion (on a scale of 1-10, then describe)?  Do you cry or laugh easily?

I cry and laugh easily, especially when I am with my family and friends, so I would describe myself as an emotional person. I would rate myself as 6 or 7 because I don't think I would be able to show a lot of emotions in front of strangers. 

3. What physical responses do you have to specific emotions?  Give some examples.

• I tend to clap or jump up and down if I am happy.
• When I am angry, I bite my lips in order to control my anger. 
• Tears are physical responses to sadness
• Annoyance - roll eyes
• I blink a lot when I am sleepy in order to stay awake
• I shudder or shake when I am in fear. 
• Uncertainty/Timid - avoid eye contact by looking down

4. Can you control your emotions, or do they control you?

I think I try to control my emotions but at the same time I feel like the emotions control me sometimes. For instance, I am unsuccessful at controlling my laughter or sadness. But I tend to suppress and control fear and sleepiness because I wouldn't be able to think properly if I am overwhelmed by fright or boredom. 

5. Do you make decisions based on emotion or reason?

I believe I make decisions based on both emotion and reason. Because I am not able to control my feelings, I sometimes make decisions based on my current emotions. When I am able to control my feelings and think rationally, I make decisions based on reason. I believe the choices made through reason are more logical and justifiable while emotions may cause rather rash decisions.  

6. Do you feign/fake emotional response?  Why?  When?  Is it OK to do this?

I tend to laugh at jokes that aren't funny sometimes in order to be polite. Hiding emotions and faking them make me feel guilty because I am lying about my own emotions but I believe it is necessary in certain situations in order to be not rude. 

In addition, I fake emotional response when I am trying to hide my emotions because I don't want others to see them. For example, I try to hide that I am depressed because I don't want to make them worry or bring the mood down. I believe it is acceptable to do this because I am feigning my emotions in order to assure other people.