The Complexity of Tears

Although the main objective of this thesis is to demonstrate that the shedding of tears can be therapeutic for individuals, especially college students, it is important to dismantle the concept of classification of emotional tears. The manifestation of these tears is presented as a representation of singular and intense emotion (sadness, joy, grief, empathy) or a reaction to a single factor. However, this perspective overlooks the complexities of the overall human emotional experience and the nature of tears shed in response to various factors. Emotional tears cannot be classified as arising from singular, concrete emotions. Rather, they arise from a complex interplay of multiple emotional states, often intertwined in a cascade of feelings that will end up producing tears due to the communication hindrance. 

The emotions or feelings that come from the categorization of “Emotional tears” are the trigger or the most basic emotion that can be explained in short and that applies to the situation that the individual is facing. In reality, tears shed in response to a specific event are rarely attributable solely to a primary emotion. Rather, they arise from a nuanced interaction of several emotions, each of which contributes a different emotional factor.

When an individual is going through a situation that makes them angry, there is a possibility that this individual will cry. But the reality is that this individual reflects the complex interplay of emotions and physiological responses associated with this intense feeling. The feeling of anger can be the trigger for many other intense feelings and emotions that cause crying. 

For example, consider a scenario in which an individual discovers that his or her partner has been unfaithful. In response, it is not only anger stemming from betrayal that brings tears. Rather, a host of emotions will likely arise due to this triggering emotion. The individual may experience deep sadness due to the abuse of trust, shock from the unexpected revelation, distress over the uncertain future of the relationship, and being overwhelmed by the sudden upheaval. In essence, the tears shed in this situation encapsulate a complex range of emotions beyond anger, reflecting the nature of the emotional response to betrayal.

We know that crying cannot be based on a single emotion because there is no single factor that contributes to this emotion appearing along with tears. The study “What Makes People Cry? A Preliminary Analysis of Situations that Evoke Emotional Tears” presented by Julia Wagrowska and Monika Wrobel sought to know what types of situations make people cry and what specific emotions are linked to these tears. In other words, they wanted to identify broad emotional categories and the particular events that fit into these categories. They found that “a significant portion of the items were related to feelings of frustration, helplessness, and loss of control,” even when the category was anger-induced tear situations.

In a subsequent section of the study, they mention a similar example but with the feeling of sadness. Wragrowska and Wrobel mention that tears are often related to the feeling of sadness, that is, tears are the product that occurs when an individual feels sad. They further elaborate that “Sadness is not always the dominant emotion at the onset of tears, and sadness alone does not determine the appearance of tears, as it is possible to experience sadness without crying.” This is due to the difficulty of isolating a single emotion when an individual is exposed to many factors that may be related to this emotion, that is, emotions are often intertwined and influenced by various external stimuli, internal thoughts, and past experiences. 

Another factor that supports the idea that emotional tears do not stem from a single emotion is that crying occurs as a type of non-verbal communication when there is no time to explain in detail each emotion that an individual faces. The research article “Emotional Tears Communicate Sadness but Not Excessive Emotions Without Other Contextual Knowledge” by Kenichi Ito presents a study that targeted people’s perception of tears on the face. Ito indicates that “a crying person is often interpreted as experiencing turbulent feelings and thoughts” This indicates that the individual experiencing a single, basic emotion, such as sadness or anger, generally finds it easier to reconcile and manage that emotion without resorting to tears. However, when this individual is faced with a multitude of emotions simultaneously, the emotional landscape becomes more intricate and difficult to navigate leading to tears serving as a physical manifestation of this emotional complexity. This dismantles the idea of categorizing a single emotion behind “emotional tears.”

In conclusion, naming tears as the only representation of a single emotion or reaction to a single factor overly simplifies the complexity of human emotions and the reaction that causes an individual to cry. It cannot be clearly classified that tears arise from a different emotion; rather, they arise from a complex interaction of multiple emotional states, often intertwined with multiple factors. Tears further serve as a non-verbal communication of the intricate emotional turmoil that individuals face when dealing with a myriad of emotions simultaneously.

References

 Ito K, Ong CW and Kitada R (2019) Emotional Tears Communicate Sadness but Not Excessive Emotions Without Other Contextual Knowledge. Front. Psychol. 10:878. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00878

Wągrowska, J., & Wróbel, M. (n.d.). What Makes People Cry? A Preliminary Analysis of Situations that Evoke Emotional Tears. Central and Eastern European Online Library. Retrieved from https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=1177951