Basic Processes In Feelings

I’ve been thinking lately about some of the “processes” that might underlie our feelings.  As discussed in earlier posts, my own view of feelings is that they are, ultimately, physical processes implemented in the brain.  On this view, our feelings are the result of some complicated “brain machinery” that takes as “input” information from things like our senses, our larger understanding of the world, and the current state of our brain.  This machinery then, in a sense, produces our feelings as “output”.  These brain processes are likely to be pretty complicated, but I have some initial thoughts about some of the things that may contribute to our feelings (I know, this sounds a bit abstract!):

1. Direct evaluative processes (non-model-based). An “evaluative process” evaluates certain information and says whether it is “good” or “bad” (or potentially makes other distinctions).  In this case, direct evaluative processes are evaluations of our immediate present experience.  These are not based on evaluations of our larger situation (our “model of the world”).  For example, tasting a delicious food or the sensory experiences one has during sex might be directly evaluated as “good”, and touching something very hot (aka “getting burned”) or stepping on something sharp might be directly evaluated as “bad”.
2. Model-based evaluative processes. In contrast, model-based evaluative processes are evaluations of our “model of the world” — what we think is true, and how we feel about it.  For example, thinking about the past or the future, or whether we are a “good person” might be evaluated positively or negatively.  Believing that tomorrow you will get a promotion at work could be a positive model-based evaluation, and believing that you made a big mistake in the past can be a negative model-based evaluation.
3. Non-evaluative processes. Additionally, there are processes which aren’t really evaluating anything, but are instead aspects of the “feeling machinery” itself.  This includes things like neurochemical balances, or taking drugs.  For example, someone who is “high” on drugs might feel great even though they are sitting in a room with nothing going on (so no positive direct evaluation), and even if there are bad things going on in their life (so no positive model-based evaluation).
4. Attention. Another factor which seems to make a difference is attention.  Since there are so many things happening at any one time (tons of sensory information coming in, extremely detailed models of the world), the brain likely can’t handle processing everything at once, and so it must select some things to process.  The things that are attended to likely have the most input into the evaluative processes.  For example, by distracting yourself you might shift your attention away from a negative model-based evaluation (my girlfriend just dumped me) or negative direct evaluation (I just stepped on a thorn).
5. Other moderating factors. There are likely to be other things that influence feelings as well, and there are probably complex interactions between all of these factors.  For example, one kind of negative evaluation might limit another kind of negative evaluation (such as sadness inhibiting anxiety, for example).  Many (or most) evaluations are also likely to be relative rather than absolute (you feel good not about having a fixed amount of money but rather about having more than other people, or you enjoy a food more the longer it’s been since you ate).  And there may be (or not) a “baseline” feeling that you get when no evaluations are really telling you anything.