Resilience, Confidence, and Positive Thinking

3Emotions Are Hiding in the Shadows of Problematic Behavior

The Mechanism of Emotions and Behaviors

Behind impulsive behavior lies an emotional problem. The part of the brain that controls negative emotions instantaneously sends out specific commands to various parts of the body, causing the body to react subconsciously.

For example, the emotional feeling of anger may trigger aggressive behavior such as speaking in an abusive manner. When you are treated unfairly, the switch for the emotion of anger is flipped, leading to the activation of your aggressive instinct.

When you feel fear, you may want to escape. For example, you may have been afraid of giving a speech in front of others. You may have felt like you wanted to run away when you had to get up and make the presentation.

That feeling of anxiety can show up as evasive behavior. For example, when someone is put in charge of a job for the first time, they may not be able to make a start because they think, “This is impossible for me” or “I can't do this on time.” The feeling of anxiety is hiding in the shadows.

Embarrassment can trigger reclusive behavior. Being reprimanded by your superior in front of a large group of your colleagues, to the point where you become so embarrassed that your self‐esteem crumbles, can make you want to avoid your superior or colleagues at work. Some people even withdraw completely from social ...