Exploring the Relationship Between Emotions, Religion, and Psychology

This essay provides an in-depth exploration of the relationship between emotions, religion, and psychology. It begins by defining emotions as the feelings that regulate human behavior and influence thought processes, highlighting their dynamic nature and impact on personality. Psychology is introduced as the scientific study of the brain, behavior, and human reactions, emphasizing the differences between individuals and the various types of psychology, such as cognitive and forensic. The essay discusses how emotions are a key area within psychology and are influenced by factors like biological elements, personal perception, social factors, and religion. Various religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Sikhism, are examined to understand how they regulate and control the emotions of their followers. The study emphasizes the interconnectedness of emotions and religion within a psychological context, exploring how psychology encompasses mental theories and perceptions, and how religions have evolved and influenced emotions. It concludes by highlighting the importance of studying this relationship to understand human behavior and mental stability, noting that positive emotions often lead to increased spirituality, while negative views may result in less spiritual behavior.

Emotions & Religiosity
Running Head: Psychology 0
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Student’s Name

Psychology 1
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Research Structure...........................................................................................................................4
What is Psychology.........................................................................................................................5
What are Emotions?.........................................................................................................................7
What is Religion?............................................................................................................................9
Emotions and Religion..................................................................................................................11
How Psychology is connected with Emotions and Religion?.......................................................12
Islam and Emotions.......................................................................................................................14
Hinduism and Emotions................................................................................................................16
Christianity and Emotions.............................................................................................................19
Buddhism and Emotions................................................................................................................21
Sikhism and Emotions...................................................................................................................24
References......................................................................................................................................30

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Introduction
Emotions are the lead factor which regulates human behavior. Emotions are the feelings
which change the thought procedure and point of view of a person. The behavior of human
changes according to his/her emotions. Here this is to mention that emotions are not static in
nature, it varies and due to this human nature, behavior, the way of responding also changes. In
addition to these emotions also influences the personality of people. Emotions are somewhere
related to the human psychology. Psychology is a study of brain, behavior, and reactions of a
human in a scientific manner (Barrett, 2009). It is a kind of modern science. Phycology describes
that every other person is different and they all have their own thinking and behavior. There is a
different type of psychology such as cognitive, forensic, social, and developmental psychology.
Psychology is not a physical aspect but matters at a very high level in human behavior; it
is all related to the mind. In this subject, a person gets to know that how a human brain works
and in which manner the same perform it is functions. Emotions are one of the areas of
psychology (Humphreys, 2011). It may state that psychology is the wide term whereas emotions
are it is one of the factors. Emotions affect others and also get affected by them. Various theories
have been given by many of the scientists on the subject of emotions and psychology. Here this
is to understand that emotions are not a thing to control and in fact, no one can control his/her
emotions completely. These are an important aspect of human behavior which describes the
personality of a person.
Sometimes while watching a movie or reading a book, a person feels something weird in
his/her nature. These are the situations, where a person feels the emotions which are not the real
one. These kinds of feelings are quasi-emotions which occur according to an imaginary situation

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(Säätelä, 1994) Emotions play a very vital role in psychology. Further emotions are the natural
reaction towards a particular situation. For Instance, if somebody wins a lottery, he/she must be
happy and on the other side when someone experiences some mishappening in his/her life,
he/she becomes sad (Thagard, 2010). Emotions often get influenced by some of the factors such
as biological factors, personal perception, social factors and religion. Religion is one of the
important factors that affect a person’s emotions.
Across the globe, there are number and kind of religion such as Hinduism, Islam,
Catholic, Buddhism, and Judaism which are followed by people. These religions control and
regulate emotions of their followers up to a great extent. Whatever a person learns from his/her
religion, the same turns into an emotion somewhere in his/her behavior (Smith, 2009). This is the
reason that two persons of different religion commonly have different emotions and perception.
The main logic behind this is that people from same religion have same belief and learning.
Although everyone has their different personality and thinking procedure, yet religion is
the factor which united people by it is essentials. No matter what, people from same religion
have the same point of views regarding their religion and they have the same concept. Every
religion gives the different lessons, and follower of particular religion gets the same education
and instruction. Most of the times religious theory work as lead factor behind emotional
experiences. Every religion has different thinking about gender, music, culture religion and so on
(Rees, 2017). People behave accordingly and their emotions also flow in the same direction only.
Some religion focuses on education, some focuses on early marriage and so on; people follow
the practices according to their religion. The same is also vice-versa. It means as religion affects
emotions, similarly, emotions also affect religious theories. This study focuses on the terms
emotions, religions, and their relations.

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Here in the study of emotions and religions, this is to mention that they are connected
with each other in a psychological context. What is psychology? In order to answer this question,
this is to cite that psychology is a manner of thinking (Pastorino & Portillo, 2011). This is a
subject, which comprises mental theories and perception of a person. The Human body reacts
according to the signals received from the brain, and psychology controls the brain. Emotions
have a great place in the subject of psychology as content. There many of the religions do exist.
How they have been developed, how they got influenced by emotions, what were the emotions,
which played a significant role in the development of religion, these all are necessary to study in
the subject of psychology when it is about emotions and religion.
Further, religion also put an impact on emotions of it is followers. This is very important
topic to study those emotions and religions are connected with each other (Wilson, 2012). People
who have positive emotions are often leading to religion and spirituality in their lives. Whereas
those people who have some negative views about life are less spiritual in their nature.
Psychology is all about the thought procedure and behavioral reaction about a particular thing or
place or person or a situation. But the same get influenced by religion and emotions of people.
Research Structure
This literature review is based on the topic Emotions & Religiosity from the
psychological perspective. This discussion is adhering to include an understanding of emotions,
religion and psychology as the first phrase. The relation between emotions and religiosity can
only be understood by defining these terms in details. Further, the importance of psychological
study, the relation of religion and emotions and their significance in the area of psychology will

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also describe in this literature review. As this research is expected to be done from a
psychological perspective, required terms and description will be acknowledged.
In addition to this, different religions, their evolution, development, the role of emotion in
their development will also include. To understand the fact that how these different religions
affect emotions of people is also an important part of this literature review. This literature
research would include the discussion on world’s most common religion followed by people
across the globe such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism in order to understand the
impact of emotions in development of these religions. Further, this discussion would also focus
on Sikhism religion which is not followed by people as much as other religions, yet has it is a
significant influence in the area of emotions.
What is Psychology
In order to understand that how emotions and religion affects a human nature in terms of
psychology, this is to understand that what is meant by the term “Psychology” is. In an academic
meaning, Psychology is a scientific learning of brain. Psychology is not a subject which only
related to human body, but the same is an essential element in respect of every living element.
Psychology is a general concept in the study of behavioral science. In addition to the study of
the brain, it also includes a study of the behavior including unconscious and conscious
phenomena. As an isolated science, this subject focuses on the study of behavior of a specific
person and his/her reactions and responding with respect to a particular situation. While on the
opposite side as social science, it studies and focuses on groups. A person who practices this
subject is known as “psychologist” (Kasket, 2017). This is the person who studies the cases and
treats people when they face issues related to this subject.

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Phycology can also be considered as mental characteristics of a person or a group.
Psychology is a wide subject and it includes the topic such as what are the components and
functions of the brain, how a similar work, how individuals act and collaborate in gatherings
(Pandya, 2011). There is kind of psychology according to the area of practice. Some of the
common types of psychologies are counseling psychology, forensic psychology, organizational
psychology and educational psychology. According to American Psychological Association, this
is a scientific study of behavior and mental processes. When a person reacts in a similar way,
again and again, people often say that it becomes his/her psychology. So here it can comprehend
that in broad sense individuals consider the term “behavior” as psychology. As prior specified
this is an extensive subject, one cannot know about each and every component of this subject.
People are still researching the area of this subject.
Human behavior is a complicated element. This varies from person to person and further
in relation to one person, situation to situation. But there are some elements which affect human
behavior (Disaster Management Institute, Bhopal, 2018). In reality these elements do not affect
human behavior directly, instead, they control human emotions and then after human behavior
affect accordingly. So in this context, in spite of the fact that it can be mention that psychology
influences human conduct however not in an immediate way.
This is additionally important to comprehend that why the research and investigation of
psychology are critical yet necessary? This subject is important in order to understand the
behavioral development of an individual as well as society. This subject characterizes the mental
instability of a person and can also help to resolve the same (Philipee, 2017). This subject deeply
studies a human brain and defines the problems with the same. All the mental ailments are
someplace comes into the region of psychology.

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What are Emotions?
To discuss the impacts of religion on emotion, in the first place it is important to know
that what precisely emotions are? There is no explanation or interpretation of emotion is
accessible. It can be comprehended that emotions are not a materialistic element. A person
neither can contact the same not can be in touch with the same. But everyone can feel emotions.
This is a very personal aspect. Everyone has their own emotions according to which they behave
(Griffiths, 1997). Emotions have a very significant influence on a person’s behavior. A person
reacts to situations according to his/her mood and the mood is influenced by emotions. A person
makes choices according to his/her emotions. Emotions play a vital role in psychology. Emotions
often treated similar to feelings and also includes experiences such as love, pain, joy, happiness,
fear, anger and grief.
Emotions often dealt with like moods and but there is a difference between mood and
emotion (Sixseconds, 2018). Emotions are the more specific whereas moods are more general in
sense. Emotions have an identifiable cause. For instance in the wake of being failed in an
examination, one could detect discouraged. This depression is an emotion here. On the other
side, moods are milder than emotions. Moods do not have a particular reason and they are not
specific in nature similar to emotions. Advance it might state that emotions are the result of a
particular event whereas mood influence behavior of a person in relation to upcoming events.
Mainly emotions have three significant parts/components such as subjective feelings;
physiological response and behavioral response (Human Diseases And Conditions Forum, 2018).

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Subjective feelings component is typical to describe. This can be described as that all
over the globe, people experience a different kind of emotions such as anger, excitement,
happiness, fear and so on. These emotions are common across the globe. Superfluous to the way
of culture and religion, emotions are general in nature (Burton, 2016). Everyone at a portion
existing apart from everything else of his/her life feels these feelings. However, this is to
mention that these feelings fluctuate individual to individual. Level of emotions can be different
according to person. Further, people also do not always experience a pure version of each
emotion. This is very common that people often face and experience a mixed form of two or
more emotions. A person can react weirdly towards a particular situation because he/she
experience a mixture of many emotions. For instance while joining a new job; a person can feel
happiness, excitement, and nervousness together (Cherry, 2018).
Physiological response is the physical reaction of a human cause of his/her emotion.
Sweating palms, rapid breathing, laughter all are the physical reaction towards a particular
emotion. The human body works according to the mind and mind often brings emotions.
Emotions do not only have the intellectual appearance but it has also physiological response.
Emotions send messages to brain and body works accordingly (TeensHealth, 2018). In a body,
there are many of the parts which have their different functions such as blood circulation is a
function of the heart, similarly, nervous system responds against emotions. So this is to mention
that an emotion does not have only mental and behavior aspects but also has physical reactions in
respect of Particular situation.
Behavioral Response is also a significant component related to emotions. It defines that
due to various type of emotions, people award a different kind of behavior and expressions.
There are some common behavior and expression of every identified emotion, which works as a

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symbol of emotion. Such as smile is the symbol of happiness and, experiencing shortness of
breath defines a situation of nervousness (Abell & Smith, 2016).
Here this is also to understand that why emotions do exist, what their requirements are?
To answer this it may state that emotions are the basic factors for human behavior. These
differentiate people. Imagine a world without emotions, the same would be blank and crumb.
Emotions also regulate a person’s behavior. So these have an important role.
What is Religion?
To discuss the religion, importance, and role of the same in human life; it is essential to
know that what does mean in actual. Religion is a guide of practices and set of beliefs, which has
provided by some of the people years ago. As earlier discussed there are so many religion and
they all have their different beliefs and practices. There are very fewer people in the world that
do not follow any religion in their lives; such people are termed as apatheist in a social context
(Shook, 2011). In addition to this there are also some people exist who believe in more than one
religion. Every religion of the world has their own moral guide, in which it is described that how
a person should act in general as well as some specific circumstance. Religion describes the
moral values (Harris, 2011).
Religion has very influencing behavior and the same has a great impact on a person’s behavior.
This is the reason due to which people from same religions have similar thoughts and believes
somewhere. It is not always necessary that every follower of a particular religion would have similar
faiths but religions affect their thinking in the same direction (Markley, 2012). As a single book always
gives the same lesson to everyone, yet the readers have their own perception, similarly a single religion

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gives the same set of rules to everyone but people who follow such religion can get different lessons from
the same due to their personal opinions and thinking procedures.
Religion plays a vital role in human life. It is an important aspect of character building and development.
It provides principals such as Justice, righteousness, brotherhood, tolerance, sacrifice, honesty,
virtuousness, and equality. These principals make a person, moral human (Keller, 2010). To live in a
society it is necessary to have some basic etiquette, essential behavior and way to live and religion give
the same. Further religion provides power to face adversities in life and give a positive belief.
Unimportant to the name of religion, each religion help it is adherents to defeat from circumstances of
sadness and dissatisfaction. Here it is also to mention that religion does not only affect the mental
perception of a person but the same is also plays a significant role in it is physical aspect. Many of the
times it has noted that people suffering from diseases overcome from the same due to their religious belief
(Behere, Das, Yadav & Behere, 2013).
Every religion has it is exclusive area and they give different lessons to their followers. But there
are also negative sides of following a particular religion do exist. Many of the times people blame their
religion for everything wrong they have experienced in their life. The Existence of religions gives an
excuse to those people who do not want to make them responsible for anything in life. Religions have
both individual and social aspects. At individual level, people often follow the religion to learn the
standard behavior such as how they should act in their life, how they should behave with others, and for
this reason, at an individual level, religion works in a positive manner (Agorastos, Demiralay & Huber,
2014).
In addition to this when it comes to social aspects, some people take unfair benefit of their
religion by mixing the same with social issues. Many of them do immoral activities and consider those,
requirement of their religion, whereas no religion provides any immoral lesson (Marvell, 1974). Often, it
has observed that some unsocial factors commit terrorist and other activities in the name of religion, but is

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to specify that one is not encouraged to do likewise as religion assumes an indispensable part in human
life and has It is claimed positive angles.
Emotions and Religion
Emotions and Religion are connected with each other in a very natural way. A person who has
reviewed every aspect related to these two topics can easily interconnect these two terms. Emotions and
religions influence each other and also get influenced by each other. In order to know the relation of these
terms, it is necessary to review the role of emotions in religion and vice versa. The story of emotion and
religion has a long history.
Emotions have their physical phenomena. Emotions often are related to human body and parts
thereof such as heart and brain. As prior specified that brain has an imperative part in the subject of
psychology, it may state that emotions affect religiosity in an indirect manner (Corrigan, 2008). Role of
emotions in religion can comprehend by the appropriate response of the inquiry "how religions have
created." Emotions are nothing except an experience and people have marked a particular emotion or
experience as religion. Later on, these emotions have developed as a symbol of that religion. In this
manner, emotions are the forces behind the development of religions. People in the ancient era had their
own emotions and according to that they have written and developed various religions according to their
personal perception (Leuba, 1912). In this context, every religion is influenced by those emotions. Such
people have given theories and lesson what they have considered correct in their views and opinions.
Followers of a religion were dependent on the writing and lessons provided by their ancestors, and in this
manner, emotions have assumed a very crucial role in the evolution of religion.
Although religions have devolved due to particular emotions and experiences of people, later on,
these religions have begun to influence emotions of their followers. This is the reason that in a particular
religion, a particular emotion exists at an extensive level (Saroglou, Buxant & Tilquin, 2007). There are