#413 ‒ The neuroscience of emotion: challenging conventional theories of emotion, how the brain predicts and constructs our experiences, and gaining greater control over how we feel | Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D.

About this episode

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this episode, Peter sits down with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, a psychologist, neuroscientist, author, and distinguished professor at Northeastern University whose research challenges many of the conventional assumptions about emotions and how the brain works. Lisa is best known for her theory of constructed emotion, which challenges the idea that emotions such as fear, anger, and sadness are hardwired responses with universal biological signatures. She begins by explaining how unexpected findings early in her research led her to question traditional theories of emotion. She discusses why studying individual variation, rather than relying on averages, is essential to understanding the brain. Lisa then explores the idea that the brain is fundamentally a predictive system rather than a reactive one. She explains how past experiences and memories shape what we perceive, feel, and do. She also describes how the brain continuously anticipates and regulates metabolism through a process called allostasis. The conversation then turns to the effects of chronic stress, uncertainty, and childhood adversity on physical and emotional health. Lisa explains how our relationships help regulate our nervous systems and why the loss of a loved one can have such a profound physiological impact. She also discusses how deliberate practice and new experiences can reshape the brain's predictions, potentially changing how we think, feel, and respond to the world around us. Throughout the discussion, Peter and Lisa explore how this framework challenges traditional views of emotion and offers a greater sense of agency over our emotional lives. We discuss: How unexpected results in graduate school changed Lisa's understanding of emotion [3:30]; Why variation is the norm for emotion, and the danger in tracking averages instead of characterizing variation [15:30]; Lisa's experience with Hashimoto's disease and the value of modeling individual variation [30:00]; How Lisa's research challenges common views about emotions, and why there is no biomarker for emotions [40:00]; The difficulty of defining emotions and the brain's role in regulating the body [49:15]; Consciousness, interoception, and the limits of subjective experience [54:00]; Defining emotion: fear and anger [1:00:15]; The brain as a predictive system rather than a reactive one [1:13:15]; Baseball as an example of the brain's predictive nature [1:31:00]; How the human brain differs from that of other animals [1:44:00]; The impact of stress on metabolism, and the role of the brain in maintaining allostasis [1:49:45]; Childhood adversity, social regulation of the nervous system, and the effect of chronic stress [1:56:45]; Understanding chronic stress: why some people respond differently, and its impact on metabolism [2:02:15]; How practicing new predictions can change thoughts and feelings [2:10:15]; Lisa's practice of finding awe in everyday experiences and the greater sense of agency it brings [2:13:30]; The impact of grief on nervous system regulation and the metabolic "body budget," as well as practices that reduce sadness [2:22:15]; The connection between memories and predictions, and Peter's closing thoughts [2:29:45]; and More. Connect With Peter on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and YouTube