Final answer:
Emotions are affective states accompanied by physiological changes that influence behavior, involving a subjective experience, physiological response, and an expressive response. Theories such as the James-Lange theory highlight the importance of physiological changes in experiencing emotions, while drive theory connects emotions with behavioral regulation to maintain homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Affective states that are accompanied by physiological changes and often influence behavior are called emotions. An emotion is a complex psychological state that involves three distinct components: a subjective experience, a physiological response, and a behavioral or expressive response. This concept has been explored in various theories of emotion, such as the James-Lange theory, which posits that the physiological arousal precedes the emotional experience, implicating that the bodily responses are a crucial aspect of feeling an emotion. For instance, when encountering an aggressive snake, your racing heart and churning stomach would not just be reactions to the situation but would be integral to your feeling of fear according to this theory.
Our emotional states can influence our behavior in significant ways, as proposed by drive theory, which relates deviations from homeostasis with physiological needs that create psychological drive states. These states can compel us to engage in behaviors to meet those needs and return to a state of balance, like seeking food when feeling the physiological need represented by hunger.
Emotions serve several biological and psychological functions, including maintaining homeostasis in the brain, as noted by Damasio, and play a role in motivated behavior by signaling what we require for survival. Therefore, emotions are critical for the regulation of actions and decision-making, impacting our daily lives profoundly.