Do neutral emotions exist?

For many it is a controversial topic. Thinking that so-called “neutral emotions” may have a place in our register of affects, sensations and feelings.. However… what actually is a neutral emotion? What is that state like in which one feels neither good nor bad, neither excited nor distressed, neither motivated nor desperate?

Actually, Much of the time we feel like this: calm. In that balance in which we do not drift to extremes, a sphere in which there is no pleasure or fear, only balance and a relaxed appreciation in which we do not experience disturbance. It is as if a calm and relaxed sea lived inside us, like the surface of a mirror.

It should be noted that many psychologists and emotion experts do not agree with the existence of neutral emotions. After all, people are always feeling something. What’s more, emotions are defined precisely by influencing cognitions (thoughts) and also behaviors. What purpose would a neutral emotion have then? What good is it for us?

This is, without a doubt, a topic of great interest. The only area that does take for granted that these types of emotions exist and define the human being is Buddhism.. From this philosophical and spiritual practice they define this state adukkhamasukha (neutral) and relate it to a peaceful and sublime feeling.

Neutral emotions, states of internal calm

We have become accustomed to seeing emotions from that duality in which we understand them from the positive valence or from the negative valence. Love-hate, happiness-suffering, hope-distress, joy-sadness… Thinking now that we must also be aware of an intermediate emotional state, one that is neither pleasant nor painful, never ceases to surprise us and also worry us.

Is there another category of emotions that we have ignored all this time? As we noted at the beginning, there is still a lot of controversy on the subject. Thus, in studies such as the one published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Psychology and carried out at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019, they tell us that Beyond the discrepancies between experts, we should consider its existence. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Neither good nor bad… Today I don’t feel anything in particular

Karen Gasper, author of this work, points out that the researchers’ failure to identify neutral states could be due to the fact that they have not evaluated it properly. Because there is an obvious reality and that is that In language we have expressions to imply that we are experiencing a neutral emotional state.

It is when we say that “Today I am calm, neither good nor bad, it is not that I am happy but I am not sad either, I feel calm”, etc. What’s more, if we take a look at the emoticons from messaging services, we will also discover faces that demonstrate that equanimitythat intermediate emotionality with which to show that one does not feel anything remarkable.

On the other hand, there is also something obvious: when we see someone who does not show happiness in their expression or attitude, we do not directly think that they will be sad. Most of the time, People are in that intermediate state in which there is neither effusive joy nor absolute desolation. We feel neutral. (Carver and Scheier, 1990).

Neutral emotions according to Buddhism, adukkhamasukha

Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk and spiritual leader, was one of the first to highlight the relevance of emotions neutral in humans. For him, the practice of mindfulness starts precisely from those neutral feelings with which to achieve well-being and fulfillment.

According to him, if we are able to focus and maintain those neutral emotions we will discover wonderful things. It is like watching a calm river flow, everything is more pleasant and we have a greater awareness of what surrounds us, of what is happening in the world and in the inner universe. Instead, More intense emotions, whether positive or negative in valence, tend to cloud our attention span a bit.

In Buddhism, this more neutral feeling is called adukkhamasukha and is related to a soft, stable and patient state of being. Now, they also clarify something important. There are those who do not understand or know how to use that feeling wisely.. There are minds that get bored in that neutral state and then crave intense emotion and hedonism.

It’s not appropriate. Neutral emotions have the power to connect us with the present moment and with a fuller, more awake consciousness.. It is a state that we must know how to take advantage of to meditate more on our actions, to make better decisions and not lead to those emotional extremes that can play tricks on us.

Normal emotions in normal situations

One of the criticisms that some experts in this field usually make about neutral emotions is that they, If they existed, they would not influence our behavior or thinking. For example, if I feel enthusiasm, my ideas are more creative and my behavior is more proactive. On the other hand, if I feel fear, my thoughts and my behavior will urge me to protect or defend myself.

Now… what happens if I feel relaxed? What happens if I feel surprised, inspired, curious, calm or serene? As we can guess, There are times when certain emotional states only invite us to make contact with the present moment.without the need to act, to generate changes, to do nothing more than adapt to a reality that is also neutral.

In conclusion. Although we have gone through a time when there were serious doubts about the existence or not of the so-called neutral emotions, it seems that From the field of psychology we are already giving them space and relevance. This is a topic that will continue to give us interesting surprises.

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