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- Glossary
emotions
Neuroscientists understand "emotions" to be complex response patterns that include experiential, physiological, and behavioral components. They arise in response to personally relevant or significant events and generate a willingness to act, through which the individual attempts to deal with the situation. Emotions typically occur with subjective experience (feeling), but differ from pure feeling in that they involve conscious or implicit engagement with the environment. Emotions arise in the limbic system, among other places, which is a phylogenetically ancient part of the brain. Psychologist Paul Ekman has defined six cross-cultural basic emotions that are reflected in characteristic facial expressions: joy, anger, fear, surprise, sadness, and disgust.
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- Glossary
Theory of emotions
Emotions still pose many questions for researchers today: Are there primary and secondary emotions? Are there universal emotions? Are there connections between individual emotions? Different theories of emotion seek answers to questions like these.
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- Thinking
- Emotions
The Fear Circuit
Fear arises thanks to lightning-fast mechanisms – that do not always react correctly.
11.09.2025
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Glossar
15.03.2017
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- Percipience
- Smell & Taste
Fragrant Brands
Companies are focusing on the sense of smell in their marketing: fragrances are intended to bind customers to the brand.
03.07.2025
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- News from the Institutes
Thirst and hunger neurons
New research shines light on how the brain interprets nutritional and hydration needs and turns them into action
31.03.2025
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- Glossary
Amygdala
An important core area in the temporal lobe that is associated with emotions: it evaluates the emotional content of a situation and reacts particularly to threats. In this context, it is also activated by pain stimuli and plays an important role in the emotional evaluation of sensory stimuli. Inaddition, it is involved in linking emotions with memories, emotional learning ability, and social behavior. The amygdala is part of the limbic system.
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- Grundlagen
- Anatomy
The Cingulate Gyrus
When paying attention, experiencing pain, or feeling emotions, the cingulate gyrus on the inside of the cortex becomes active.
22.09.2023
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- Percipience
- Smell & Taste
Smell and Taste – often underestimated
The role that smells and tastes play in our everyday lives.
06.09.2025
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- Thinking
- Emotions
Learning the Meaning of Fear
The story of the brain that went forth to learn what fear was.
21.08.2025
