Physiologic correlates of basic emotions of anger and sadness in healthy and depressed people

Numerous studies have been conducted on the fundamental emotions of anger and sadness. But research into the physiological correlates of the fundamental emotions of anger and sadness in healthy and depressed individuals has remained neglected.

To investigate the physiological correlates of anger and sadness basic emotions in healthy and depressed individuals.

This study was quasi-experimental. The statistical population consisted of girls / women between the ages of 3 and 5 years living in Tehran in summer and autumn of 2018. 66 people were selected by convenience sampling method. The research instruments were Beck Depression Inventory (1967). Data analysis was performed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance and post hoc tests.

The results showed that changes in physiological processes in both healthy and depressed groups were different (P< 0/01) but in one direction while experiencing sadness and anger. During anger, increased respiratory rate, heart rate, and respiratory rate ratios on heart rate in depressed people were more than healthy (P< 0/01).

This finding confirms the psychoanalytic theory about the etiology of depression. According to this theory, depression is due to repression of anger and depressed people have difficulty in experiencing anger.