Investigating Emotion and Its Interaction with Cognition: Research Recommendations

The precedence of emotion and cognition and their independence was a mostly philosophical subject until the twentieth century. Then it became the basis of the theories of many experimental psychologists. The emotion and cognition interaction is the architectural foundation of the human psychological system; its proper function leads to healthy functioning. Despite the old notion of the primary role of emotions in instinctual actions, the intelligence of emotions and their effect on thoughts have been shown now. The usefulness of strengthening emotional and cognitive abilities in establishing positive and constructive relationships with others and its importance in academic and career success has also been revealed. Despite this importance, although several theoreticians have attempted to explain the multiple relations between emotion and cognition, they have not yet succeeded in bridging the gap. Neurological findings are not integrative. The emotional system of the brain is so interconnected with the cognitive system; It is too difficult to distinguish between them. Accordingly, the terms emotional brain and cognitive brain are mistaken, and the two systems are highly intertwined. To clarify the issue, firstly, we define emotion and cognition concepts. Then we categorize different types of interaction between emotion and cognition into five categories in two ways. Then we have outlined some barriers to research on the emotional and social abilities and presented eight recommendations for overcoming these barriers. These recommendations are: examining emotional components and their interactive compositions in detail, age classification and using a developmental approach, applying appropriate assessment methods, using a neurological approach, using computational and mathematical models, precise and operational definition of emotion and avoidance of ambiguity, consider the interpersonal and interpersonal aspects of emotion and study of intermediate constructs. Applying these recommendations in research can help parents, the educational community, and policymakers to better planning for society.