Final answer:
The statement about the influence of emotional state on cognitive and behavioral functions is true. Emotions affect our ability to react, concentrate, and make decisions; however, self-regulation can help control emotional responses. Strong emotions can hinder objective thinking and decision-making.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that your emotional state influences your ability to concentrate, stay alert, be courteous, think clearly and rapidly, contain anger and aggressiveness, and control tendencies to "show off" is true. Emotional states are influenced by physiological arousal, psychological appraisal, and subjective experiences. Reactivity and self-regulation are aspects of our temperament that affect how we handle new or challenging environmental stimuli. Reactivity relates to our immediate response to stimuli, and self-regulation is our ability to control that response. Neuroticism is another factor that affects emotional behavior, characterized by a tendency to experience negative emotions, resulting in emotional instability.
Understanding emotions is critical because they can cloud our judgment. For example, emotions can lead to a skewed perception of events and hinder our ability to remain objective, affecting our decision-making processes. Maintaining skepticism of strong emotions is necessary to objectively evaluate arguments and make reasoned decisions. Moreover, the extended neocortical capacity in humans allows some control over emotional behavior, but strong emotional responses can dominate our rational thinking despite attempts at cerebral self-control. Emotions help maintain homeostasis in the brain, which is necessary for survival but can also influence decision-making.