NEED HELP NO PLAGARISM !!!!!!!!!

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IDENTIFY AND MANAGE EMOTIONS

The emotions aren’t always immediately subject to reason, but they are always immediately subject to action.

—William James

We all experience an assortment of emotions every day. Joy, fear, surprise, anger, disgust, and other feelings are such a fact of life that we seldom stop to think about what they mean, how they occur, or why they occur. When managed properly, emotions can enhance our motivation, improve our relationships, and protect us from dan- ger. When handled improperly, however, emotions can destroy careers, damage relationships, and stifle our abilities to communicate and to connect with others.

Emotions are complex feeling states that produce a host of cogni- tive, physiological, and behavioral changes. Cognitively, we experience emotions as a shift in focus as our attention becomes fixed on a person or object. Physiologically, we undergo a number of bodily changes, including accelerated heart rate, elevated body temperature, acceler- ated breathing, dilated pupils, and muscular tension. Behaviorally, we experience emotions as an impulse to act—that is, to move toward or away from a person or object, a response commonly described as “fight or flight.”

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22 LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Emotions do not occur in a vacuum. They have specific causes. We are angry with someone or about something. Indeed, it is the all-consuming focus of emotions that makes them so difficult to ignore. This seems espe- cially true for anger, which can range in intensity from mild irritation to full-blown rage. Because emotions urge us to do something and do it quickly, they often create more problems than they solve. This has led some philosophers to conclude that before we can live a happy and fulfilled life, we must first learn to subjugate our emotions to the cold logic of reason.

HISTORY AND THE STUDY OF EMOTIONS

The Greek Stoics of the early third century b.c. believed that the “passions” do little more than cloud one’s ability to reason. The Stoics taught that emotions, which result from errors in judgment, are some- thing to be controlled. They further believed that a “sage” person of “moral and intellectual perfection” would not suffer the defect of emo- tions. Several centuries later, the French philosopher René Descartes proposed a “duality” of mind and body. Descartes suggested that the mind is completely separate from the body, an immaterial “thinking thing” driven by pure logic and void of self-defeating emotions. Logic and emotion, he maintained, are isolated processes, occurring in sep- arate spheres—one in the mind, the other in the body. Descartes did not deny the existence of emotions; rather, he believed that rational thinking is unaffected by feelings. However, despite the long-standing popularity of these approaches, their authors could not have been more wrong.

Every decision that we make and every action that we take—from selecting which car to buy to deciding whom to marry—is somehow influenced by emotion. Because of the way we value logic in Western society, we are naturally inclined to view ourselves as rational and decision making as a purely logical pursuit. We observe and assess, identify our options, and choose the most logical course of action. Recent scientific evidence, however, suggests that our decisions and actions are heavily influenced by emotion. On one hand, we use logic to analyze data and assess outcomes. On the other hand, we rely on emotions to provide visceral feedback, intuitive insights, and “gut feelings.” It seems that rather than simply weighing the logical costs

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Identify and Manage Emotions 23

and benefits of a decision, we use emotions to guide our choices and then engage in a post hoc search for reasons to justify our actions. The better we understand how and why emotions occur, the more effective we will be at soothing hurt feelings, managing conflict, and dealing with irate, frustrated, and difficult people.

Functions of Emotions

In addition to their role in problem solving and decision making, emotions serve a number of other important functions, including pro- tection, attention, motivation, bonding, and communication.

• Protection: The primary purpose of our nervous system is to keep us alive. In simplest terms, the faster we respond to potential threats, the greater our chances of survival. Emotions have evolved as the primary way of alerting us to the presence of danger. At the first sign of threat, the emotional centers of the brain activate the body’s stress response, sending signals to other areas of the brain and body to prime us for immediate action.

• Attention: Emotions affect what we notice, what we process, and what we remember. Negative emotions like fear and anger make it difficult for us to concentrate or remember, while positive emotions can gener- ate energy and attention as well as enhance memory and recall.

• Motivation: Emotions are the driving forces that compel us to act. The things that motivate us are generally the same things that move us emo- tionally. The positive feelings we experience when we achieve personal goals motivate us to pursue other ambitions. Conversely, the negative emotions that follow a disappointment deter us from performing certain behaviors.

• Bonding: Emotions make it possible for us to form important relation- ships and to bond with others. The bond that a parent shares with a child and the connection between a husband and wife are simply not possible without emotions.

• Communication: We use our emotions to initiate and to regulate social interaction with others, as well as to reinforce or to modify other aspects of our communication. We do so through our facial expressions, posture, eye contact, and bodily movement—all of which provide important clues about our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes.

While emotions perform a number of necessary and important func- tions, an inability to recognize and to control emotions can create a host

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24 LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

of problems. For example, emotions can cause an otherwise rational person to act in ways that are clearly contrary to his best interests, such as yelling at an officer who is doing little more than attempting to keep the peace or to issue a traffic citation. What is it about emotion that causes people to behave in ways that are so clearly irrational? More important, what can we do to communicate effectively with irate, frus- trated, and difficult people?

THE EMOTIONAL BRAIN

Over the past few decades, neuroscientists have learned a great deal about the origins and roles of emotions. This includes the identification and study of specific brain regions responsible for both logic and emotion. As human beings we are, by our very nature, emotional. Whether we realize it or not, emotions touch every aspect of our lives. Emotions influ- ence not only how we make choices but also what we think about. While Descartes’s notion of a disembodied mind is almost certainly wrong, it appears that he may have been right about one thing: We are literally of two minds—one emotional, the other logical. The emotional brain is intu- itive, fast, and instinctual. It is concerned primarily with emotional signif- icance and with survival. The logical brain, in contrast, is rational, slow, and heavily influenced by experience. It is concerned with precision, logic, and getting things right. Together the two brains integrate thinking and feeling in ways that make the many nuances and complexities of our intellectual and emotional lives possible (see Table 2.1).

Table 2.1 Emotional Brain Versus Logical Brain

Emotional Brain Logical Brain

Automatic Controlled

Fast Slow

Intuitive Rational

Effortless Effortful

Learns slowly Learns quickly

Requires little energy Requires considerable energy

SOURCE: Adapted from Lehrer, J. (2009). How we decide. New York: Mariner Books.

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Identify and Manage Emotions 25

We don’t normally think of our brains as collections of distinct parts, each responsible for particular functions, such as basic life sup- port, vision, speech, logic, movement, memory, and emotion. Rather, we experience our brains as fully integrated units, capable of combining logic and emotion into one seamless experience. Scientists, however, divide the brain into three major areas: the brain stem, the limbic sys- tem, and the cerebral cortex (see Table 2.2). This division, although somewhat artificial, can nonetheless help to clarify the basic structures responsible for different functions and assist us in better understanding the relationship between logic and emotion.

Brain Stem Functions

The brain stem, or reptilian brain, as it is sometimes labeled, is a continuation of the spinal cord. It is responsible for basic vegetative functions, including the regulation of heart rate, breathing, sleeping, eating, and consciousness. The brain stem also connects the sen- sory nerves and motor nerves of the brain to the rest of the body. All information relayed from the brain to the body and vice versa travels through the brain stem. Damage to the brain stem can result in coma or death.

Limbic System Functions

The limbic system, or emotional brain, comprises the clusters of nuclei associated with emotions, particularly fear. It is not truly a separate system; rather, it is a collection of structures that include the hippocampus,

Table 2.2 Brain Functions

Brain Stem Limbic System Cerebral Cortex

Regulation of cardiac and respiratory functions

Emotional arousal Thinking

Fear Planning

Consciousness Learning Logic

Regulation of the sleep cycle Memory Memory

Eating Motivation Language

SOURCE: Adapted from Carter, R. (1999). Mapping the mind. Berkeley: University of California Press.

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amygdalae, anterior thalamic nuclei, septum, limbic cortex, and fornix. In addition to emotional arousal, the limbic system plays important roles in motivation, learning, and memory.

Cerebral Cortex Functions

The cerebral cortex, or logical brain, is the region commonly referred to as gray matter. The cerebral cortex is divided into right and left hem- ispheres. It encompasses approximately two-thirds of the brain’s mass and lies over and around most of the brain’s other structures. It is the most recently evolved part of the human brain and is responsible for thinking, logic, planning, learning, memory, and language.

One especially important part of the logical brain is the prefrontal cortex, the region located just behind the forehead. It is the brain area responsible for impulse control as well as learning about the social norms and values of a person’s culture. The frontal cortex is the last part of the brain to develop, typically maturing around age 25—a fact that explains much of the impulsive behavior common among young adults. Although all mammals possess some functioning frontal cor- tex, the area is most highly developed in human beings.

Understanding the various brain structures and their functions is an important step in recognizing how and why people become emotionally distressed, as well as why it can be so difficult to reason with a person who is distraught. Losing control, failing to respond to reason, and, in some cases, behaving violently can all be traced to specific areas of the brain.

LOGIC VERSUS EMOTION

Our thoughts, decisions, and actions are the products of the two brains: one rational, the other emotional. The rational brain thinks. It per- forms detailed analyses of data from the outside world, compares that information to past events stored in long-term memory, and plans the best course of action. The rational brain is responsible for conscious thought, logic, planning, and language. It is also tasked with using the information gathered by our senses to create a cohesive picture of the

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Identify and Manage Emotions 27

world. The neocortex, which represents the crowning achievement of millions of years of evolutionary pressure, is primarily responsible for the rise and dominance of human beings over other species.

In contrast to the cold, logical analysis of the more recently evolved neocortex, the emotional brain feels. It is responsible for emotions like anger, fear, and love. It is also the source of our intuitions, or “gut feel- ings.” One particularly important cluster of neurons is the amygdala, a set of structures located deep beneath the brain’s temporal lobe. The amygdala specializes in emotions, especially those associated with fear. It continuously scans the environment for potential threats and activates the body’s alarm, commonly referred to as the “fight or flight” response, at the first sign of danger. Unlike the slower, more logical neocortex, the emotional brain is designed for speed rather than accuracy.

Normally the two brains operate as a tightly orchestrated system. We are able to connect feeling with thinking and thinking with feel- ing in ways that allow us to integrate our two ways of knowing. There is a comfortable balance. On one hand, we use feelings to inform our rational brain, to help us make decisions, and to add color to logic. On the other hand, we integrate information from our rational brain to better inform feelings and occasionally to override unhealthy emotional responses. In most instances, our thoughts and feelings work together as one coordinated unit, but this is not always the case. There are times when the emotional brain seizes control, filling us with rage, anger, or other strong emotions, and leaving us seemingly beyond the reach of logic or reason.

“FIGHT OR FLIGHT”

The human brain developed from the bottom up. Because the higher brain centers of the neocortex developed as elaborations from the more primitive emotional brain, the two brains are connected by a network of neurons that allow us to integrate thoughts and feelings. We are able to “think” about our “feelings” as well as to articulate our emotions and intuitions. These connections also provide the more primitive emotional brain with a way of overriding the neocortex during an emergency— even if temporarily—to ensure our survival.

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28 LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Anytime the emotional brain senses a threat (real or perceived), it activates the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, trig- gering the release of adrenaline and glucocorticoids into the bloodstream to prime the mind and body for action (see Table 2.3). This produces a rush of nervous energy and muscular tension, which we experience as an elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, dry mouth, sweaty palms, and butterflies in the stomach. We may also find ourselves behaving in uncharacteristically aggressive ways, such as pointing our fingers, clenching our fists, or yelling. Not surprisingly, strong emotions can make it especially difficult for us to listen or to concentrate. The more intense the feeling, the more dominant the emotional brain.

The body’s stress response has been etched into the human nerv- ous system over hundreds of millennia and thousands of generations.

Table 2.3 Stress Response (Fight or Flight)

Activation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system (“hot” go system)

Release of glucocorticoids, including adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol

Increases in heart rate and respiration

Elevation in blood pressure

Flushing or paling

Inhibition of stomach/digestive functions

Dilation of pupils

Constriction of blood vessels

Diversion of blood to large muscle groups

Tunnel vision

Shaking/tremors

Inhibition of tear production and salivation

Increase in blood sugar

Suppression of immune system

Increase in blood clotting

SOURCE: Adapted from Kagan, J. (1998). Galen’s prophecy: Temperament in human nature. Boulder, CO: Basic Books.

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Identify and Manage Emotions 29

As hunter-gatherers, our ancestors faced an untold number of dangers, including hungry predators, aggressive neighboring tribes, and unpredictable turns of nature. When our ancestors encountered hungry predators, they did not have the time to pause and formu- late the most logical response. They needed a system capable of almost instantaneous action. The emotional brain, with its ability to prime the mind and body for an immediate response, provided the advantage necessary to ensure our ancestors’ survival in such hostile environments. However, the rapid, emotional response that served our ancestors so well is poorly adapted to the challenges we face in modern society.

Today, our chances of encountering man-eating carnivores are vir- tually nonexistent. The human brain, in spite of its complexity and flex- ibility, has been unable to keep pace with our rapidly changing world. Over the span of a few thousand years, human life, particularly in highly developed countries, has changed so dramatically that many of our ancestors would be unable to cope.

Because our brains have failed to evolve at the same speed as the rest of our world, we continue to demonstrate the same hardwired responses to threats as our early ancestors, engaging in either “fight” or “flight.” This is further complicated by the fact that the emotional brain responds to psychological threats in the same way it responds to physi- cal threats—that is, as if our personal safety were in jeopardy. Thus, we respond to threats to our self-esteem in the same ways we respond to threats to our physical safety.

When a person is irate, frustrated, or angry, we can be almost cer- tain that his emotional brain is running the show. The rational brain is on hold while the person focuses his energy, attention, and resources on the threat. His body is full of adrenaline. His mind is focused on the threat. And he is driven by a primitive urge to attack or to defend. His thoughts and emotions are no longer integrated. Rather than thinking rationally about the long-term consequences of his actions, he is con- cerned only with immediate survival.

As law enforcement professionals, how can we best respond to some- one whose rational brain is disengaged? How do we motivate or per- suade someone who is driven by pure emotion? Fortunately, the person’s temporary insanity is just that—temporary. By correctly identifying a

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30 LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

SOURCE: Adapted from Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

Figure 2.1 Connections Between the Emotional Brain and the Logical Brain

person’s emotional state and by reconnecting with the rational brain, we can overcome many strong emotional responses, direct the person back to a state of calm, and manage conflict effectively.

A Silver Lining

The networks that link the two brains allow strong emotions to override logic during an emergency. This, however, does not mean that the rational brain has stopped working altogether. While the emotional brain prepares the mind and body for danger, the rational brain continues to analyze possi- ble courses of action and ultimately decides on the best one. In other words, while we may have little control over our initial reaction, we can consciously affect the duration and intensity of our response. If, for example, a felony suspect reaches into his pocket, our emotional brain sounds the alarm and activates the body’s stress response. Meanwhile, our rational brain continues to analyze, taking in additional details, comparing those facts to informa- tion stored in long-term memory, and continuously updating the emotional brain. When the rational brain determines that the suspect is retrieving a cell phone and not a firearm, it sends signals to turn off the alarm.

This is possible because the neural networks that connect the two brains travel in both directions (see Figure 2.1). In other words, neurons transmit messages from the emotional brain to the neocortex, and other

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Identify and Manage Emotions 31

connections send signals from the neocortex to the emotional brain. These networks allow the logical brain to manage the duration and intensity of our emotional responses. Under certain conditions, how- ever, it is possible for the rational brain not only to modify the duration and intensity of our emotions but also to override them altogether.

The connections between the rational and emotional brains offer a ray of hope, or silver lining, for managing the responses of irate, frus- trated, and difficult people by providing a way of reengaging the rational brain. To manage such a person’s responses effectively, we must be able to identify that individual’s emotional state as well as to reengage the rational brain. This includes learning to recognize the symptoms of gen- eral arousal and other nonverbal signs of affect, including facial expres- sions, paralanguage, posture, proxemics, and eye contact (all of which will be discussed in greater detail later in the book). If we expect to communicate and to connect successfully, we must increase our sensitiv- ity to the nonverbal messages of other people as well as to the messages that we send to others. This is especially true when we are dealing with irate, frustrated, and difficult people. In the same way that we watch the behaviors of others, they observe our actions as well. Transmitting the wrong messages (for example, disinterest or impatience) is almost cer- tain to make a bad situation worse. Rather, we must make every effort to communicate interest and objectivity while using appropriate strategies to reengage the person’s rational brain.

TOOLS FOR MANAGING EMOTIONS

Strong negative affective responses occur when the more primitive emo- tional brain triggers the body’s stress response (fight or flight). When this happens, we respond emotionally rather than logically. We are less concerned with the long-term consequences of our actions than with focusing our energy and attention on the immediate threat. All of us have, at one time or another, been fearful, angry, depressed, irritated, and hostile. Emotions are entangled in every thought we have, every decision we make, and every action we take. When dealing with irate and emo- tional people, there is no “one size fits all” solution—no magic bullet or special phrase that will work on every person and in every instance.

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32 LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The approach we should take depends on the unique environmental and personal variables of the situation as well as the number of tools we have available. The more techniques we have at our disposal, the greater our chances of success.

Be Aware of Your Response

Managing the emotions of others begins with managing our own response. Responding emotionally to someone who is already irate, frustrated, or angry will almost certainly make a bad situation worse. Everything that we do and say is potentially important. To make the right impression, we must send the right message. This means con- trolling our verbal and nonverbal behaviors to ensure that we commu- nicate appropriate levels of professionalism, interest, and objectivity. Carefully monitoring our actions also allows us to influence the behav- ior of others by demonstrating the kinds of conduct that we want the others to model. If we appear anxious, nervous, or emotional, they will respond in kind. On the other hand, if we appear calm, professional, and interested, they are more likely to respond in ways that facilitate, rather than inhibit, successful communication and problem solving.

Listen Actively

The simple act of listening can go a long way toward reducing emo- tional distress. Listening provides people with important opportunities to express their feelings, attitudes, and concerns. Listening, however, is not as easy as it might appear. To listen effectively, we must do more than simply process information. Good listeners pay attention not only to people’s choice of words but also to their paralanguage and other nonverbal cues. This means that we must listen with our eyes as well as with our ears. It also requires that we take an interest in others. We must learn to listen to people with the same concern and respect that we expect from others, regardless of our personal feelings.

Paraphrase

Paraphrasing involves the restatement of a person’s message in another form. It can be used to clarify, summarize, or expand on the

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Identify and Manage Emotions 33

original message. Paraphrasing also offers a number of advantages for managing highly emotional people. To begin with, it allows us to interrupt someone without making things worse. For example, after listening long enough to grasp the crux of a person’s complaint, an officer can politely interrupt by stating “I want to be sure that I under- standing what you have told me so far” or “Okay, if I understand you correctly . . .” One of the reasons that paraphrasing is so effective is that it requires the other party to stop talking and listen to discover if the officer has, in fact, gotten the story right. Further, similar to active lis- tening, paraphrasing provides a way of modeling appropriate behaviors and reducing tension.

Ask Questions

Strong emotions are products of the emotional brain. One way of reengaging the rational brain is to ask questions. Because answering questions requires the person to process the request, search for informa- tion, and formulate a response, questions naturally engage the rational brain. This is especially true of open-ended questions that require an extended search for information and a narrative response, such as “Tell me more about that” or “What happened next?” Unlike binary ques- tions, narrative questions cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. The more we can engage the person in answering narrative questions, the greater our chances of reengaging the rational brain.

Let the Person Vent

One of the most effective ways of dealing with someone who is angry or frustrated is to allow the person to blow off steam. Rather than arguing, debating, or disagreeing, our best course of action is to let the person vent. The simple act of venting provides people with a form of psychological release. Our job is not to react to emotional outbursts or to personal attacks. Rather, we should listen quietly, acknowledge the person’s concerns, and demonstrate interest. This includes allowing the person to have the last word. If she stops talking, we should prompt her to continue. Not only does letting someone vent allow that person to blow off steam, but it also demonstrates our patience, empathy, and genuine desire to listen.

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34 LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Reframe the Problem

One final tool for managing anger, frustration, and other strong emotions is reframing. The way we frame a problem has a lot to do with how we respond. When we reframe a problem, we describe it from a different perspective while eliminating emotionally charged language. This also allows us to correct any inaccuracies in perception. For exam- ple, “What an idiot!” an irate motorist might exclaim. “I can’t believe the way he cut me off!” The officer might reframe the statement this way: “If I understand correctly, you were approaching the intersection when the other driver moved into your lane, hitting the front of your car.” While the problem remains unchanged, reframing the issue allows us to eliminate strong emotional language. Similar to paraphrasing and other forms of listening, reframing also allows us to demonstrate the kinds of verbal and nonverbal responses that can best facilitate a con- structive dialogue.

SUMMARY

Emotions are a fact of life. When handled properly they can enhance our motivation and protect us from danger. When handled improperly, however, they can destroy careers and damage relationships. Every decision we make and every action we take is somehow influenced by emotions. To deal effectively with people, we must deal effectively with their emotions. Emotions and logic are governed by the two different brains: one logical, the other emotional. Understanding the brain regions responsible for strong emotions is an important step toward better man- aging irate and frustrated people. The strong urge to act when we are emotionally aroused produces a number of physiological, behavioral, and cognitive changes, which we communicate through facial expres- sions, posture, proxemics, eye contact, and paralanguage. Fortunately, a number of tools are available to help us better manage the emotions of others, including monitoring our response, asking questions, allow- ing the person to vent, paraphrasing, active listening, and reframing the problem.

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Identify and Manage Emotions 35

Because we are dealing with humans, we need to remain flexible, open-minded, and patient. We must be flexible enough to adapt to chang- ing circumstances and to modify our strategies when they are not work- ing, as well as open-minded enough to continue learning and refining new techniques. We must also remain patient. Managing another per- son’s emotions is, at best, difficult. Considerable time and patience are often required to reengage the rational brain and to reestablish meaning- ful communication. In the end, however, such efforts will undoubtedly make us safer and more effective.

The next chapter discusses the second step in the IMPACT model: Master the story.

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. What are the three components of emotions?

2. What are the functions of the logical brain and the emotional brain?

3. What is the purpose of the “fight or flight” response?

4. How does the “fight or flight” response interfere with a person’s ability to think logically?

5. In what way do the connections between the logical brain and the emo- tional brain enable us to manage the responses of irate, frustrated, and difficult people?

6. List five strategies for reengaging the rational brain.

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