A–Z Glossary

Amygdala

The amygdala is a brain structure involved in detecting potential threats and influencing responses to danger.

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How prior experience affects emotions

How prior experience affects emotions

Memory gives emotion its context Prior experience is not simply stored as factual memory. It becomes an emotional template that helps the brain interpret what is happening now. When a person has been through a similar event before, the present situation is compared with the older one almost immediately. That comparison helps shape the first […]

How stress affects parenting

How stress affects parenting

Stress is not just a feeling: it is a body-brain state Stress begins as an adaptive physiological response. When the brain appraises a situation as demanding or threatening, the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis become more active. Heart rate may increase, muscles tense, breathing becomes shallower, and cortisol and catecholamines help mobilize energy. […]