Emotion: A Very Short Introduction by Dylan Evans

Author:Dylan Evans
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Published: 2001-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

12. Music is one of the most powerful technologies of mood we have invented.

In humans, as in other primates, the visual system is highly developed, followed closely by the auditory system. The other sensory modalities are much less complex, or at least we are much less aware of their complexity. So it is not surprising that the sensory technologies of mood we esteem the most – art and music – are those that gratify our eyes and ears, while those that appeal to our other senses are accorded less dignity. Nevertheless, the senses of smell, taste, and touch have not been neglected. The emotional effects of different smells are poorly understood, though aromatherapists have developed some interesting taxonomies. The perfume industry is based on the emotional power of smell, and in many religions, from Buddhism to Christianity, worshippers burn incense to put themselves in a more contemplative mood.

The emotional effect of touch is better understood. Being caressed by another person releases natural opiates in the brain that are associated with a relaxed frame of mind. The evolutionary basis for this may lie in our recent primate past, around the time of the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees, some five million years ago. Grooming may well have been as important for this creature as it is for modern chimpanzees, who spend hours each day removing the ticks from each other’s fur. This grooming does not merely rid the other chimp of parasites; it also serves as a reliable sign of friendship. A preference for such a reliable signal of friendship would have motivated our furry ancestors to seek out friends. Those who did not like being groomed would have found themselves without allies when it came to a fight.

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