Emotional Intensity

Abstract

The analysis of emotional intensity is crucial in understanding emotions; however, it has received little systematic attention in psychological and philosophical literature. This paper provides a general framework for the understanding of emotional intensity. It begins by a brief characterization of typical emotions and a discussion on the complexity of the concept of emotional intensity. In discussing variables of emotional intensity, two major groups are proposed: the event's impact, which includes the variables of the strength, reality and relevance of the event, and background circumstances, which includes the variables of accountability, readiness and deservingness. A clear positive correlation between each variable and emotional intensity is suggested.