ABSTRACT
The study of emotions has been undertaken by a variety of professionals, including psychologists, anthropologists, and neurophysiologists. Emotions have great importance for human beings, as they are responsible for guiding and controlling our behavior. The word 'emotion' is derived from the Latin word emovere, which means 'remove', 'agitate', 'be moved', and 'arouse'. From a psychological point of view, emotions such as culpability, embarrassment, and pride are classified in the family of auto-conscious emotions. The emotional component is fundamental in the process of rational thought. The limbic system is known as the emotional brain; it contains many structures including the hypothalamus, the amygdala, the thalamus, the fornix, the hippocampus, and the anterior cingulate cortex. The anterior cingulate cortex regulates the effects of intense emotional reactions through the modulation of the firing of cells of the amygdala. The majority of research on aggression and violence has been focused on the anterior parts of the brain, which include the frontal and temporal lobes.
