Functional mental states

General Psychology Course Mental states
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1. Mental states and their characteristics

Mental states imply various states of consciousness and emotional well-being of a person, which can change depending on external circumstances, internal experiences, health, and other factors.

Mental states are always accompanied by physical manifestations (from facial expressions to sensations in the body).

Several factors influence the emergence of mental states:

  1. One’s own desires, needs, and aspirations
  2. The desires, needs, and aspirations of a significant other
  3. The possibilities of satisfying one’s desires, aspirations, and needs
  4. Environmental conditions – both objective (for example, rain due to which a person is forced to stay at home), and subjectively perceived (for example, a person thinks that their boss will refuse the request for a salary increase, therefore gets upset in advance, without even trying to approach the boss with their request).

Properties of mental states**:**

  1. Emotional. Responsible for the qualitative features of a particular mental state.
    The emotional characteristics of mental states are closely related to polarity or sign. Often, emotional states can be defined as “pleasant” or “unpleasant,” based on the sensation of pleasure or discomfort, but this does not always happen so simply.
    In all mental states, both “positive” and “negative” experiences are present. The balance of these experiences in specific mental states can vary.

  2. Activational. Determine the intensity of mental states.
    Low level of activation can manifest in such characteristics as:
    • Fatigue and reduced energy.
    • Apathy and indifference to the surrounding world.
    • Difficulties with concentration and task execution.
    • Slow reactions and movements.

    High level of activation can manifest in the following ways:
    • Agitation and nervousness.
    • Hyperactivity and inability to relax.
    • Rapid and sharp movements.
    • Difficulties falling asleep due to increased excitability.

    Stabilization of the activation level is important for maintaining mental well-being.

  3. Tensional. Responsible for the degree of tension of forces.
    Tensional characteristics refer to states of tension or stress that can significantly affect a person’s mental state. These characteristics are associated with the level of anxiety, tension, agitation, nervousness, and irritability, which can manifest either briefly or long-term.

  4. Tonic. Connected with the tone of the organism.
    Tonic characteristics can include the organism’s resources, reserve of strength, readiness, and ability to overcome difficulties.

  5. Temporal. Determine the duration of a specific mental state.
    Temporal characteristics of mental states reflect the degree of variability of a person’s emotional and psychological state during different periods. These characteristics can include mood swings, emotional reactions to specific events, and temporary changes in the level of stress or anxiety.

To denote relatively stable background states, the concept of “mood” has been established in psychology.

In psychology, mood is defined as an emotional state of a person that has a longer duration than emotions. Mood usually describes the general emotional background of a person over a certain period, often for several hours or days.

Although mood can change, it is usually more stable and manifests less intensely than emotions. Mood can be positive (for example, joyful, happy) or negative (sad, irritated). It can be caused by various factors: external events, internal thoughts and experiences, physical condition, or social environment.

Functions of mental states**:

  • Adaptive.
    Mental states can help a person adapt to the environment. For example, stress can help a person react faster to a threat and take necessary measures. And, if in the future they find themselves in a similar stressful situation, it will be much easier for them to orient themselves.

  • Protective.
    Some mental states serve as a defense mechanism against anxiety, pain, or other unpleasant sensations. For example, suppression of negative emotions allows a person to cope with traumatic events for some time.

  • Signal.
    Mental states can signal that something is wrong in a person’s body or life. For example, depression or anxiety can indicate deep psychological problems.

  • Motivational.
    Mental states can influence a person’s motivation and behavior. For example, the feeling of hunger motivates one to seek food, and the feeling of fear motivates one to avoid danger.

  • Social.
    Mental states also play an important role in interaction with surrounding people. For example, joy and empathy contribute to strengthening a person’s social ties.

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