Terms

Distinctive features of the state of affect. Affect - what is it? The state of affect from the point of view of psychology

The life of every person is colored by a variety of emotional states, which are manifested in his actions, activities and behavior. Such a reflection of the experiences of the individual is possible due to emotions, which reflect the reaction of the human body to the impact of a wide variety of stimuli (including reactions to a change in the surrounding reality and to other people).

Among the whole variety of human emotions, positive and negative, sthenic and asthenic, adequate and pathological are distinguished. The pathological manifestation of emotional reactions can be expressed both in a decrease (for example, depressive states) and in an increase in mood. It is the last option that includes affect, in psychology which can be characterized as a pathological emotion, and as a very vivid emotional reaction with an increased non-verbal manifestation.

The concept of affect in psychology

Affect in psychology is considered as a certain form of manifestation of human emotions, as a relatively short in duration, but at the same time quite a strong emotional state. A person most often experiences a similar state if he cannot find the right option for solving some problem (traumatic, stressful) or when he has a feeling that there is no way out of a critical, threatening situation. This expression of emotions is accompanied by bright, well-defined motor (external) and organic (internal) manifestations.

Also affected ( in lane from lat.affectus means passion or emotion) in psychology understand a certain type of emotional reaction, which is characterized by strength, brightness, short duration. Distinctive feature affects is that they suppress and reduce the degree of manifestation of other mental processes of the individual, imposing certain types of responses on her.

The concept of affect in psychology is explained as a kind of “emergency” way for a person to solve a difficult and somewhere even dangerous situation. This behavioral response arose during evolutionary development, which is why the cause of affect in humans (unlike animals) can be not only associated with biological and instincts, but also act as a reaction to social relationships and contacts.

Even ancient thinkers were engaged in the study of the features of affects. Thus, the concept of "affect" along with passions were basic in the study of the affective sphere of a person in the works Aristotle ("On the Soul") And Descartes ("Passion of the Soul"). Then Spinoza in his "Ethics", reflecting on the nature of affects, he saw in them the states of the human body, which can increase / decrease, favor / limit the ability of the body itself to act.

Among foreign researchers who have devoted their scientific work the study of the features of the manifestation of affects is worth highlighting:

Sigmund Freud(he claimed that the most powerful affect is anxiety, saw in affects the manifestation of unconscious human drives, but in the end he came to the conclusion that affects play the role of warning signals that work together with protective manifestations of the personality, performing the functions of the Ego);
David Shapiro(considered affects from the point of view of the symptomatology of neurotic styles);
Roy Schaefer(he owned a rather serious clinical analysis of the affective states of a person);
P. Knappa, who argued that affects are experienced directly, very vividly and vary from minor sensations to emotional reactions of a huge scale.

A significant contribution to the development of this problem was made by well-known minds of Russian psychology - A.R. Luria(diagnosis of traces of affect), Ya.M. Kalashnik(study of pathological affect) and S.L. Rubinstein, who emphasized that it is affects that can be considered the most powerful emotional reaction of a person to various stimuli.

Today affects in psychological science refers to a special type of emotional processes of the human psyche, which develop at critical moments for the individual, especially when they arise unexpectedly.

Distinctive features of affect are that it is a violent, intense emotional response that causes disorganization of human behavior and disruption of many mental processes and states. So, in a person who is in a state of passion, facial expression changes dramatically, chaotic movements (disorganized motor skills), disturbances in thought processes and (especially in its distribution, concentration and stamina) are observed. The manifestation of affect is also observed in a sharp decrease in conscious control over one's behavior, actions, or in the difficulty of making decisions (it is almost impossible to cope with one's emotional state). The main characteristics of this state are:

by the time of manifestation - short duration;
according to the level of awareness - the smallest conscious emotional state;
according to the dominance of mental processes, according to complexity and arbitrariness - a state with the dominance of emotions.

A feature of affect is that this form of manifestation of emotions is characterized by more primitive reactions (and with a much higher degree of intensity) in contrast to adequate human behavior, due to social norms and the level of cultural development in a particular society. Affects have a special effect on the human psyche, imposing on him certain actions (stereotypical, stereotyped) that become a habitual way of reaction in situations similar in strength and impact (for example, aggression, flight, stupor, stupor, etc.). Despite the fact that such affective reactions developed and took shape in the process biological evolution and find their manifestation only in similar conditions, their content and features of manifestation may undergo some changes under the influence of certain external and internal conditions (education, self-education, autogenic training, meditation, etc.).

The main functions, types and phases of affect flow

Affects, despite the fact that they are characterized as rapid and "explosive" emotional processes, like any other forms of manifestation of human emotions, perform a number of specific functions, among which the function of accumulation of affective experience occupies a special place. This is a kind of deposition of traces of affect in the unconscious, that is, the so-called affective memory is triggered. It finds its manifestations in similar situations, having been in which a person experienced a state of passion. If this happens with a certain frequency, causing negative emotional experiences and contributing to the appearance of an affective state in a person, its accumulation may occur. As a result, a person can again experience a state of passion, even without the impact of a threatening situation or other negative factors. Such an accumulated affect in psychology is quite often called an affective explosion, which occurs not at the critical moment itself, but after a certain period of time.

It should also be noted that many researchers see affect as the protective function of the human body and psyche, unless, of course, this leads to the emergence of neurotic disorders. Indeed, the manifestation of affect sometimes occurs as a defensive response to extreme situation or an incident. That is, the affect that always arises in already existing circumstances, being an impetus to the mobilization of the human body, can also organize behavior and actions to ensure the most rapid response in specific circumstances.

Of course, we should not forget that the main signs of affect are that it limits a person's ability to realize the nature of his actions and actions, which can create a certain danger to the people around him. Most often, it is precisely this effect that affects have, since they are always accompanied by strong excitement. nervous system and mental activity in general. As a result of such an impact, a person significantly loses control over his actions and deeds, his ability to think rationally decreases, which as a result can lead to inadequate threatening behavior.

Signs of affect depend primarily on its type. In the psychological literature, the following types of affects are most often distinguished:

pathological;
physiological;
cumulative;
interrupted;
negative;
positive.

Each of these types of affects has its own characteristics, which are described in more detail in the table.

Types of affect

Kinds	Peculiarities
Physiological	This is the so-called sane state (emotional), which is characterized by the presence of serious limitations in the human mind. So a person in such a state can be aware of his actions and actions, and, of course, they can be controlled. Most often as a result of a single traumatic impact.
Pathological	The short duration of the manifestation, leading a person to clouding of consciousness and total loss control (non-will). Such a person is considered insane, with no ability to control his actions and actions.
Cumulative	This condition occurs as a reaction to a long-term impact of a situation that traumatizes the human psyche or their repeated repetition (a kind of affective explosion occurs).
Interrupted	The affective state is interrupted by an external influence (it unfolds according to specific psychological mechanisms).
Negative	This affect causes serious disturbances in the emotional sphere of a person, since such conditions contribute to the cessation of actions and a decrease in mental activity.
Positive	People in this state tend to significantly reduce analytical processing of information, based mainly on heuristic signals and initial judgments. They are also characterized by shortened solutions and simplified strategies of behavior, and a tendency to stereotype.
Affect of inadequacy	Overreaction of protection to the occurrence of failure. It is generated due to the collision of an overestimated level of self-esteem of the individual with its real capabilities. Finds its manifestation in aggression, anger, anger, hysteria and is accompanied by high level anxiety and strong emotional stress

Consideration of the concept of affect in psychology is impossible without an analysis of its features and phases of flow. In the scientific literature, there are three main phases that an affect goes through (most often referred to as a pathological type):

pre-affective(or preparatory phase), where the preservation of consciousness is still observed, perception undergoes gradual changes, but disturbances in the ability to observe, awareness of the course of mental processes and related experiences appear;
affective outburst(reaction process), when the affect performs the function of a strong tone (emotional), which requires an immediate reaction. Disorders of the volitional sphere are observed, impulses are intensified against the background of a weakening of the inhibitory apparatus, mental activity can be characterized as erratic, with impaired consciousness and loss of its clarity. Here a person can choose one of two response options - reflection and attack or flight and the desire to take cover.
post-affective(final, initial) phase, the main feature of which is the significant depletion of all human resources (mental and physical strength).

The main features of affect are manifested in strength, time, intensity, degree of expression and level of awareness (they are described in more detail in the table).

The main features of affect

Criterion	Peculiarities
By time	rapid onset and short duration of exposure
By strength	high intensity of experience
By severity	violent expression and increased expressiveness
By degree of awareness	characterized by lack of accountability for actions and deeds, a decrease in the level of control, lack of will, impulsiveness of behavior and deeds
By level of attention	diffuseness is observed - reduced switching and concentration of attention, narrowing of the field of perception, focusing attention on the object that provoked this state

So, affects do not give in to the conscious control (volitional) of a person, reach their discharge in his actions and deeds, while playing the role of a disorganizer in his mind and activity. A person in a state of passion can act contrary to the existing norms of society and at the same time lose the ability to control their actions.

The main signs of affect

The manifestation of affect, like other emotional reactions, is accompanied by a number of specific signs. They, in turn, depend on the type of affect. So, for example, the main signs of pathological affect are as follows:

disorganized behavior;
violation of the course of mental processes;
spontaneous nature of motor reactions and changes in facial expressions;
organic disorders (symptoms of the cardiovascular and digestive systems, change in breathing, circulatory disorders, oxygen starvation of the brain, etc.);
subsequent depletion of physical and mental resources;
having amnesia.

But along with individual features that are characteristic only for a particular type of affect, there are also general manifestations that can be divided into two categories: mandatory and additional signs of affect. So, the must-haves are:

the unexpected impact of a traumatic event that is experienced subjectively;
the same sudden manifestation of affect;
emotional response is violent (explosive) in nature;
there is a narrowing of consciousness (characterized by fragmented perception, an incomplete picture of the incident itself, as well as a jerky perception of both one's actions and the surrounding reality);
partial violation of control over their activities (inability to predict results, reduced control over actions and behavior);
physical and mental exhaustion.

Additional signs of affect include:

a feeling of hopelessness (a purely subjective feeling);
characteristic negative psychophysiological conditions, such as increased fatigue, chronic fatigue and sleep disturbance, some diseases;
partial narrowing of consciousness (distortion of perception (or illusions), partial loss of a sense of reality, a feeling of foreignness of one's actions);
violations of the arbitrariness of activity (motor, speech, as well as personality characteristics and its orientation);
disorganization and partial disturbance of consciousness (there is no complete understanding of what is happening).

Affects find their manifestation in external and internal signs:

external - facial expressions, appearance, posture, motor activity, micromimicry, speech speed, voice timbre and intonation, etc.);
internal sensations (a peculiar feeling of isolation from reality, loss of a sense of time and perception of space, a violation of communication with consciousness, a feeling of fear and anxiety).

So, the most striking signs of affect are in their violent manifestation (high dynamics) and the duration of the aftereffect (weakening of vital resources). They affect all mental activity of a person, disrupting cognitive and emotional-volitional processes, manifesting themselves in poorly coordinated movements (motor disorder).

Causes of affect

The impetus for a person to experience a state of passion can be either a traumatic situation, or negative emotions, or an unpleasant conversation with another person. But among the huge number of factors that can affect the appearance of this condition, psychologists identify the following most common causes of affect:

a dangerous, sometimes extreme and threatening situation that can cause significant harm to a person (this can be not only a direct, but also an indirect threat);
a serious protracted or overly emotional conflict situation;
a significant lack of time (the need for quick response in a difficult situation);
the presence of a conflict between the need to act and the subjective feeling of the impossibility of this (or the desire for something and the impossibility of satisfying these needs);
unexpected exposure to a strong stimulus in the event that a person does not have a plan (or program) of action;
systematic repetition of a traumatic situation (accumulation of affect);
actions and actions of other people that could affect the self-esteem of the individual and injure his feelings;
individual characteristics of the nervous system (strength, stability, mobility of nervous processes) and the human psyche;
heavy, destroying a comfortable existence, memories;
increased emotionality of a person and his impulsiveness.

It should be noted that some types and forms of affect can be controlled, but for this it is necessary to train your consciousness, as well as educate yourself and self-regulation. At the moment when a person is already on the threshold of affect, but can still think clearly, the following can help:

one should try to focus on something other than the object that causes the affect;
take measures to change the situation or change activities;
try to tighten (delay) your motor reactions a little (you can count or do breathing exercises).

But in particularly difficult cases, the usual autogenic training may not work, so psychotherapy is prescribed, and sometimes medication.

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RUSSIAN STATE SOCIAL UNIVERSITY

Faculty social work, pedagogy and juvenology

Department of Social and Family Pedagogy

Test

Pabout the discipline: "Psychopedagogy of extreme situations"

Subject: Affect

Moscow, 2010

Affect

affect sign diagnosis training

Affect(lat. Affectus - passion, emotional excitement) - a short-term and strong positive or negative emotion that occurs in response to the impact of internal or external factors and accompanied by pronounced motor manifestations and changes in functions internal organs. Affect leads to inhibition of mental processes and the implementation of appropriate behavioral reactions. .

Affective complex (psychoanalysis) - association within the limit of any details that cause affect, i.e. for the affect to be repeated, it is enough to mention any detail. Affective memory differs from figurative (semantic) memory. There are laws here. In figurative memory, the trace may disappear, while in affective memory, accumulation occurs.

affective discharge- the stage of pathological affect, manifested by violent motor excitement, profound impairment of consciousness, orientation disorder, speech incoherence, excessive gesticulation, etc.

Defensive reaction- bodily protection, adaptive reaction. This reaction fixes the connection (leaves traces) - with the given situation and similar situations. Generalizes, organizes as a whole.

mental process- this is the course of a mental phenomenon that has a beginning, development and end, manifested in the form of a reaction. Everything mental processes are divided into cognitive - they include sensations and perceptions, representations and memory, thinking and imagination; emotional - active and passive experiences; volitional - decision, execution, volitional effort; etc.

behavioral response- this is what is attributed, on the one hand, to behavior, but on the other hand, for which the responsibility of a person is reduced or reduced. Behavioral reactions are distinguished from the actual behavior, which is called intentional (not impulsive, not random) words and actions of a person and the responsibility for which is completely assigned to him.

Emotion- emotional experience, excitement, feeling (often accompanied by some kind of instinctive expressive movements). Conditions associated with an assessment of the significance for the individual of the factors acting on him and expressed primarily in the form of direct experiences of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of his actual needs.

Unconscious- a set of mental states and processes that are carried out without the participation of consciousness. The concept was first expressed by G. Leibniz. He assessed B. as the lowest form of mental activity. Certain mental processes, he believed, lie outside the conscious representations, which rise like islands above the ocean of dark perceptions.

Extreme situation -(lat. extremum - extreme, extreme; situatio - position) - a concept through which an integrative characteristic of a radically or suddenly changed situation, associated especially unfavorable or threatening factors for human life, as well as high problematic, tension and risk in the implementation of an expedient activities under these conditions.

Danger- occurrence, or the occurrence of a noticeable likelihood of the occurrence of undesirable events.

affect (lat.)- the opposite of peace of mind, denotes any suspension or difficulty caused by feeling in the ordinary, normal flow of ideas. Thus, affect deprives a person of calm rationality of thinking and will.

As a rule, the causes of affects are strong and sudden impressions, under the influence of which the state of mind of a person is shaken and suddenly changes. These impressions are very diverse, both in kind and in the degree of the disturbance they produce in our inner world.

The degrees of affect are very different. IN higher voltage they act stunningly, sometimes even causing death, such as fright from joy or fear. Feelings caused by affect can be both pleasant and unpleasant, or even joyful and sad at the same time, as, for example, in surprise. In relation to the method of shock peace of mind, affects can be divided into excitatory or excitatory, like anger, revenge, joy, into depressing, like grief, sadness, etc. With the close connection that exists between the spiritual and bodily states, the shock that is manifested in the affect passes to the body as well, which is proved by the feeling of relief or embarrassment experienced in these cases, a blush from shame, pallor from anger, etc .; the body, on the contrary, counteracts the duration of the affect. At higher degrees affect, nature itself took care of the means of resolving the affect, for example, with tears or laughter.

There is no reason to assert that only man is subject to affects, since similar phenomena are found in animals; however, only man, by virtue of his higher spiritual development, is able to suppress and tame the affect in himself.

A characteristic feature of affect is its dominance, on a short time subjugating a person and depriving him of the opportunity to critically assess the situation and reasonably manage his behavior, narrowing of consciousness, in which the person's attention is entirely focused on the circumstances that caused the affect. Exceptionally strong affects may result in loss of consciousness and memory of the past. An important feature of this emotional state- roughness, brightness external manifestation, very expressive and sharp facial expressions, pantomime (expressive movements of the whole body), speech, actions.

The content of affect can be anger, indignation, annoyance, fear, reaching horror and panic, grief. Affective outbursts can also occur with strong positive emotions ("does not remember himself for joy", "lost his head with delight"). In a state of passion, a person usually loses control over himself, but the responsibility of the individual for actions in a state of passion remains. Affects are particularly susceptible to people who are not accustomed to self-control, do not consider it necessary to restrain themselves. The affectivity of a person, the tendency to violent emotional manifestations depends not only on temperament (cholerics in this respect differ sharply from phlegmatic people), but also on the level of her moral upbringing, which involves self-control. At the same time, there are affects caused by the tactlessness of a communication partner.

Signs of affect:

extreme situation;

impulsiveness of action (automatism without reflection);

narrowing of consciousness (loss of episodes from action, sensitivity to pain disappears);

bodily manifestations.

Affect phases:

Preparatory: consciousness is preserved in all cases. There is a tension of emotions and a concentration of ideas on a certain focus of attention. Perception in this phase is not sharply disturbed, but the ability to observe and be aware of ongoing mental processes and experiences is upset. The poor, strongly narrowed range of ideas is sharply affectively colored. Mental activity is one-sided - the desire to fulfill one's intention. The rest of the person ceases to exist.

Explosion phase: from a biological point of view, it is a process of reacting. A complex of the strongest sensual tone, requiring immediate response. Volitional disorders: an increasing impulse prevails over the inhibitory apparatus (loss of self-control). The clarity of the field of consciousness is lost, its threshold is reduced. Behavior: Aggressive or passive.

Final phase: depletion of mental and physical strength. Delayed memories of events are disturbed.

Affect diagnostics

Diagnosis is possible due to the preservation of the affective trace. The task of diagnostics is to establish the very presence of a trace of affect, to understand the content of the situation in which the affect occurred.

Free association method(from classical psychoanalysis). Instruction: give any possible associations to significant keywords. Details and properties of an affective situation are isolated in advance. They are placed on the list along with neutral words. Affect disturbs the normal flow of associations. A verbal stimulus can provoke associated affective states. Significant words for the subject give themselves out by special reactions. Such a sign will be a non-standard, low-frequency association (compared to standard values), inhibition of the response, signs of excitation, verbosity, primitiveness. It's not even that the subject is trying to hide the affect. It is ambivalent, it is an attempt to open up at the same time, and meaningful words let yourself be revealed, on the other hand - speech protection from re-experiencing affect. The subject can adapt and, by giving standard associations, hide the defect in speech.

Technique of coupled motor reactions. Luria. If the affect does not manifest itself in speech, is delayed, masked, then it should manifest itself in other conjugated reactions - simultaneously with the pronunciation of associations, the subject must squeeze the rubber bulb (press the button). The affect delayed in speech destroys another reaction - motor delay, tremor, lack of movement. The very number of small movements (tremor) is the number of possible associations that the subject rejected. The idea of a polygraph was further developed by increasing the number of indicators taken, preferably uncontrolled - GSR. Limitations of the method: legal - even the detected affective trace should not matter since. is not necessarily connected with the committed crime, or other objective reason. It can be caused by an indirect subjective cause.

Training "Ways to get out of the state of affect"

1. Sinkina Evgenia, psychologist:

The most effective in the fight against the state of passion, I think physical exercise such as running or walking. But I’ll immediately note that they should be adequate to the state of the body - I don’t see anything good in the fact that a person with a sick heart runs up to the 9th floor, on the contrary, it can end sadly. But here moderate loads can really help, because muscle work leads to vasodilation and a decrease in overall blood pressure, while oxidative processes contribute to the accelerated destruction of adrenaline. Well, muscle fatigue leads to inhibition of the entire nervous system.

2. Myasnikov Stanislav, psychologist:

Pretty simple and fast way- go out into the fresh air. Many pay attention to the fact that if you get out of stuffy room then you immediately begin to calm down. This fact has a scientific justification - blood oxygen saturation is a condition for the activation of oxidative processes that lead to the destruction of adrenaline. Therefore, instead of venting emotions and tension on others, go out, take a walk in the park - this will help you “cool down” and return to normal.

3. Dorovskaya Tatyana, psychologist:

You can use tranquilizers (Relanium, Seduxen), but it is highly undesirable to get involved in them. A person who knows this peculiarity of responding to stress should regularly receive a sufficient amount of B vitamins, and during the period and before possible stressful situations, it is necessary to take small amounts of sedatives, preferably natural origin- for example, valerian, motherwort. Obligatory full, sufficient sleep and physical activity.

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Symptoms of a state of affect

There are several types of states of psychological affect:

Classic physiological affect- a sharp emotional reaction, accompanied by mental disorders, but not associated with any mental illness.
Pathological affect- the cause of the occurrence is a violation of the activity of the nervous system, brain structures, the presence of a mental illness.
Cumulative affect (abnormal affect)- an affective reaction does not occur immediately, according to the principle of the "last drop" accumulates over time.
Affect under the influence of surfactants (psychoactive substances)- violation of mental activity under the influence of alcohol, drugs, etc.

The manifestation of affect is:

Physical - bodily disorder.
- Mental - disorders of mental, intellectual activity. Violation of memory for current events.
- Emotional - inadequate emotional reaction.
- Behavioral - an uncontrollable situation (a fight, or other illegal acts).

Signs of a state of affect

There are certain precursor signals. “You need to know the enemy by sight”, in order to prevent a state of passion in time, you do not need to ignore the warning signs.

Time spans of affect- fast onset and short duration.

Physical signals:
Dizziness.
General pains.
Muscle tension.
Tinnitus.
Sweaty palms.
Fatigue, weariness.
Trembling in the body.
Stomach upset.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Nausea, dizziness.
Chest pain, palpitations.
Increased frequency of urination.
Increased acidity of gastric juice.

Mental and emotional signals:
Violation of perception and thinking.
Propensity for a certain activity.
Difficulty in making decisions.
Poor memory for current events.
Inability to concentrate.
Irritability or frequent falls into a rage.
Uncontrollable fear, anxiety.
Panic attacks and sudden mood swings.
Irritability, anger.
Inability to relax
Feeling overwhelmed, alone, isolated, powerless and helpless.
General dissatisfaction with everything.

Behavioral cues:
Motivation or performance of any action during an emotional reaction.
Critical, jealous attitude towards others.
Explosive reactions to what is happening.
Tendency to act impulsively (out of control).
Increased consumption of alcohol or drugs.
Sleep disorders.
Nervous behavior (nail biting, tics, leg twitching, eye blinking).

Completion of affect is usually characterized by fatigue, sleep, amnesia.

Causes of the state of affect

Diseases that can affect the development of the state of affect

1. Emotional lability (impairment of emotional balance).
An emotionally unbalanced person cannot feel the moods of other people, and, above all, understand their emotions, thereby provoking unnecessary conflicts.
basis emotional self-control is self-confidence. Self-confident people consciously experience their emotions.

2. Pathology of the amygdala. This structure is located in the brain and processes impulses that relate to emotions. In other words, it is a primitive emotional brain responsible for making quick decisions in the event of an emergency.

3. Pathology of the hippocampus- underdevelopment or damage to the brain structure that is responsible for emotions and long-term memory. In order to get quickly desired action, the brain needs a kind of archive accumulated throughout life, which is controlled by the hippocampus.

4. Mental retardation(mild, moderate and severe). Affective reaction is not always conscious, reflex.

5. Chronic mental illness such as schizophrenia.

6. Temporary clouding of consciousness when taking psychoactive substances (alcohol, drugs). Impair the ability to correctly interpret the threat.

7. Damage to the nervous system (meningitis, influenza). Signals cannot be fully processed due to damage to the nervous system and brain by these diseases. Actions in more, automatic.

8. Mental impact (hypnosis, the use of neurolinguistic programming practices). When the psyche is affected by something from outside. Uncontrolled action is suggested under the influence of hypnosis or other methods.

How to prevent the development of a state of affect

1. try to relax;
2. feel all the emotions that you experience, and also assess the readiness to act in response to these emotions;
3. try to concentrate, see and hear what is happening;
4. ignore bad memories;
5. do not link what is happening in this moment with negative experiences from your life;
6. imagine that everything that is happening now is a movie, in a “bad” situation, feel like an observer, not a participant;
7. remember something very positive from your life;
8. do not blame yourself for what happened, the affective reaction is encoded in the brain and occurs in a split second;
9. ignore stressful situations;
10. put up with a chronic irritant if it cannot be eliminated;
11. reflect pleasant emotions on your face more often, for example, smile;
12. become more active;
13. in unpleasant conflict situations, adhere to the opinion of a respected or close person to you;
14. if you are a believer, then pray, it works like meditation.

Diagnostics of the affect state

In order to prove the existence of such a phenomenon as a state of affect, it is necessary to highlight several symptoms, conduct laboratory tests, and also consult with various specialists.

Here are some typical signs:

1. The brevity and transience of affective reactions.
2. Suddenness and unexpectedness of action in a certain situation.
3. Perception of what is happening in parts (fragments) with a predominance of more important experiences.
4. Loss of self-control over actions (aimingly repeated movements, performing an action directly).
5. The affect itself is a strong emotional discharge, which may be accompanied by uncontrolled actions.
6. A state of apathy, physical weakness after the end of the affect.

survey data.

General analysis of urine, blood, biochemical blood test, determination of blood sugar, hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hormone analysis - will characterize the general condition of the body, help to identify hidden diseases.

Magnetic resonance or computed tomography will determine if there are abnormalities in the brain structures.

Consultation with a psychiatrist is carried out in order to collect data on the presence of other mental illnesses.

A neurologist's consultation is needed to identify pathologies in the nervous system.

Treatment of states of affect

Folk methods are extremely effective and, above all, it is a natural weapon in the fight against affect. Recommended Herbs: lemon balm, ginseng, mint, relaxing herbal extract blend (ashwagandha, brahmi, gotu-kola). Aromatherapy: You should add a few drops of essential oil to a hot bath. Sedative oils: valerian, lemon balm, lavender, orange, patchouli, rose, bergamot, grapefruit, geranth, sandalwood, sage, clove, thyme, basil, cumin, chamomile. They block out of control behavior and improve emotional well-being. It is very useful to eat colostrum - the mother's first milk after the birth of a mammal. It contains substances capable of suppressing strong tension.

Regular exercise increase the body's resistance and prepare it for unexpected situations that can cause an affect. Everyday tips for increasing physical activity:
- Walking to the store instead of driving.
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Move during your break at work.
- Get off the bus one stop early.

Yoga is a special form exercise for the body and mind, which is especially often recommended for the treatment of pathological affective reactions. Tai chi is an exercise that involves smooth movements that relax the body and mind, improve blood circulation and breathing.

Stretching for all those whose affective reaction is manifested by a strong muscle tone.

Exercise for the lower jaw- moving it from side to side, relaxes the muscles involved in chewing movements, which can reduce mental stress.

chest exercises- increased tension of all muscles at the moment of a state of passion makes it difficult to breathe. Practice taking deep breaths to improve ventilation. Deep breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) will help you stay calm.

Relaxation will help to reduce the feeling of mental stress. Start relaxing the body from the head, and then slowly move to the shoulders and neck, chest, hips, legs. Relaxation in the conditions of everyday bustle creates a feeling of control over the situation and reduces the risk of developing a state of affect.

Massage helps in relaxation of the body, gives a feeling of emotional stability and deep relaxation, reduces stress, anxiety and headaches, relieves tension around the neck, back and shoulders. The massage can be performed by a specialist or by your partner. You need to learn the technique of massage and, if necessary, massage each other.

To perform self-massage, you should lie down or sit down, close your eyes, and gently massage your face, head, neck, and shoulders for about 15 minutes. Massage also eliminates headaches and you will feel better after a busy day.

Very effective in cases of preventing affective states reflexology. It includes: point or combined with aromatherapy and hydrotherapy massage. Even simple pressure on the points at the temples will relax the muscles of the neck.

Hydrotherapy in a hot tub. The heat relaxes tense muscles and restores proper blood circulation. Before the bath, it is better to use a relaxing salt - scrub, Dead Sea mud wrap.

Meditation- distracts, reduces the feeling of fear and other affective reactions. Relaxation Techniques Included various forms meditations that allow you to move away for a while from the surrounding reality and provocateurs of stress.

Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes. For example, to relax, it is better to look at the flame of a candle, imagine quiet place. The goal is to achieve a state of absolute peace and the absence of any emotion.

Suggested exercises:
- Select a word or phrase, such as calm.
- Sit still, close your eyes and relax.
- Repeat the chosen word/phrase according to the rhythm of the breath, with each exhalation, for 10 to 20 minutes.
This exercise must be performed at least once a day in complete calmness and concentration.

Autogenic training exercises with the psyche with the help of self-hypnosis. The technique includes repetition of sentences. For example:
- That's no problem at all.
- It was not important to react immediately.
- It is very important for me to relax.

Relaxation programs are an excellent way to treat a state of affect. They are available in audio form (relaxation music), video (relaxation movies), or text, whichever is the least effective of the above. Music and films are mainly based on the natural sounds of nature (splashing waves, wind, heartbeat). Movies can be found on YouTube - search for "relaxation".

color therapy improves mood and calms. For example try green color in the interior, predominance in the wardrobe and so on.

Homeopathy selected individually. It can effectively alleviate emotional problems and affective reactions. Such treatment causes a lot of controversy among specialists, but in some cases, you can try it to make sure of its effectiveness.

Psychotherapy. Talk about your problems and feelings with friends and family. If you want to better understand your difficult life situation and the causes of recurring states of affect, it is better to use the services of a psychiatrist or psychologist.

In the therapy of the state of passion, one must make a choice in favor of behavioral psychotherapy with a self-control technique.

First step- Identification of a long-acting stimulus. Problem solving. Definition and elimination of erroneous behavior, introspection.
Second phase- situations are analyzed that induce and stimulate to commit inadequate action.
Third stage– working with a psychotherapist to create a plan or contract for self-control. Departure from this plan is punishable by "fines" that the therapist assigns.
Fourth stage- A target is set to be achieved.

Drug therapy prescribed only by a doctor - treatment with drugs of the benzodiazepine group (Gidazepam, Diazepam, Clobazam, Clonazepam, Chlorazepat, Diazepam, Lorazepam, Medazepam, Nordazepam, Oxazepam, Prazepam, Lorazepam, Midazolam, Chlorazapat, Phenazepam, Alprazolam, Bromazepam, Gidazepam, Chlordiazepoxide, Clonazepam). Usage medicines can help you survive the period of the state of affect, smooth out its symptoms, but will not eliminate the causes that caused it.These drugs are strictly prescription and addictive.

Psychiatrist Kondratenko N.A.

Affect (from the Latin affectus - emotional excitement, passion), an emotional state, which is characterized by a stormy and relatively short-term course (rage, anger, horror, etc.). .

Physiological affect is an emotional state that does not go beyond the norm (i.e., not painful), which is a short-term, rapidly and violently flowing emotional reaction of an explosive nature, accompanied by a sharp, but not psychotic, change in mental activity.

The causes that cause a state of physiological affect in a person can be of two kinds:

firstly, circumstances threatening the physical existence of a person, i.e. direct or indirect threat to his life,

secondly, the affect can be caused by the actions of others, affecting the self-esteem of a person, traumatizing his personality, moreover, both the defendant and people close to him.

A situation is affective if it is acutely conflicting and problematic for a person, that is, touching to the depths of the soul and subjectively insoluble. More precisely, an affectogenic situation can be called a situation characterized by the fact that the person in it must necessarily act and feels an almost irresistible need for this, but does not find suitable methods of action. This contradiction is what causes the affect. If a person clearly sees the possibilities of adequate behavior, the affect does not occur.

This definition could begin with words. “Observation from a passing psychologist noted that ...” and further down the text. Correct in general, this definition is purely external, too general, approximate, allowing for ambiguous interpretation. Figuratively speaking, you will not find Cinderella with such a shoe. Half of the girls in the fairy kingdom will find this shoe on their feet. Especially a lot of speculation arises when deciding whether the insult established in the criminal case could cause an affect.

The forensic psychiatric assessment of defendants who committed unlawful acts in a state of emotional arousal has long attracted the attention of researchers both in the field of criminal law and forensic psychiatry and psychology.

For a long time, forensic psychiatric examination of these conditions was limited only to the diagnosis of pathological affect. Scientific research recent years in the field of psychiatry and psychology, they significantly expanded their understanding of complex affective reactions that occur in mentally healthy individuals, as well as in individuals with borderline mental pathology (psychopathy, residual organic brain damage).

All of the above could not but affect the content expert opinion about the emotional state of the accused at the time of the offense. Although these persons are usually recognized as sane, as a rule, a description of the emotional state helps the investigation and the court to understand the motives for aggressive actions, inadequate cruelty of the deed, the features of the offender's behavior in a conflict situation that were not characteristic of him before.

Therefore, it was not by chance that the concepts of “strong emotional excitement” appeared, and in the Criminal Code of 1996 - “affect”, which are legal concepts and, in essence, synonyms. Their assignment to legal competence is due to the fact that in addition to assessing the emotional state of the accused, the court and the investigation must prove the illegality of the victim's actions. In the Criminal Code of 1960, this provision was provided for by Articles 104, 110. In the new Criminal Code, in force since January 1997, in the articles that relate to penalties for murder in the heat of passion (Article 107 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), there is a list of situations in which the state of the accused may fall under the concept of "suddenly arising emotional excitement" (affect).

These are states “caused by violence, bullying or serious insult on the part of the victim or other illegal or immoral action (inaction) of the victim, as well as a long-term psycho-traumatic situation that has arisen in connection with the systematic illegal behavior of the victim.” The Criminal Code of 1996 introduced a number of additions, important for the practice of forensic psychological examination, to the previously existing norms on crimes committed in a state of strong emotional excitement.

“The law now directly uses the concept of “affect” as a qualifying feature, however, this condition is no longer considered as a mitigating circumstance (Article 38 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Of course, the terminology itself, traditionally used for decades, is not optimal. The concept of "strong emotional excitement" is intended to designate one of the temporary special mental states of the subject; therefore, it must correspond to accepted psychological terminology. The concept used in the Criminal Code of 1960 actually had an evaluative, non-strict character. Adequate here is the use of the concept of affect, as is done in articles 107, 113 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation of 1996.

But instead of modernizing the terminology, as happened in the Special Part, the legislator generally excluded this emotional state from the list of mitigating circumstances, pointing only to the wrongfulness or immorality of the behavior of the victim, which was the reason for the crime. At the same time, the effect of simplifying the use of the corresponding mitigating circumstance has been achieved. But this solution is not optimal. In the 1960 version of the Criminal Code, it was proposed to establish the presence or absence of a certain emotional state of the subject, which arose in connection with the unlawful actions of the victim. That is, the mitigation of punishment was associated with the implementation of a strong emotional excitement (affect) on the ability to realize the significance of one's actions and control one's behavior. Now the very fact of certain actions of the victim has acquired a predetermined value.

The new version in the law of the mitigating circumstance under consideration does not take into account several other significant points:

It does not set the task of assessing the direct causal relationship between the actions of the victim and the perpetrator. But it could manifest itself both in affect and in other emotional states, but a situation is also possible when the perpetrator was looking only for a pretext for his socially dangerous actions;

An affective conflict situation can be created not only by the victim, but also by another person at the scene of the crime. There are also cases when affective actions were directed at an outsider who happened to be nearby, in our opinion, to tie the criminal legal concept of affect only to cases of emotional discharge in relation to the person who created the situation means limiting the investigator and the court in individualizing responsibility, taking into account this circumstances, if the cause of the affect was the actions of a third party;

The interpretation of the actions of the victim only as a reason is not correct in all cases: from a psychological point of view, these actions can be the main cause of impulsive affective actions. In addition, the very concept of "reason" implies the obligation of an immediate response to it. Meanwhile, in Article 107 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, this traditional position has been significantly adjusted - it provides for the possibility of a long-term psycho-traumatic situation, when the reason is a neutral from a legal point of view or even a legitimate remark, demand, action of the victim. .

Article 107 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for actions committed at the time of acute psychogenic and chronic protracted psychogenic situations.

The most important condition contributing to the emergence of an affective reaction is the presence of a conflict situation, a feeling of physical or mental obstacles to the implementation of one's plans of intentions.

A necessary condition for the emergence of an affective reaction is also a subjective feeling of the need for immediate response actions directed against the offender, combined with the absence of a program or the possibility of implementing such actions, the perception of the situation as hopeless, the impossibility or blocking of rational ways to resolve it. The actions of the victims are often unlawful (in the legal sense) or unlawful in nature, expressed in insult (by words or actions), physical or mental violence. Consequently, when analyzing the nature of psychogenies, these situations can be regarded as acute, sudden psychogenic situations caused by violence, bullying or serious insult on the part of the victim.

Physiological affect, as an emotional state that does not go beyond the norm, is a short-term emotional, rapidly and violently flowing emotional reaction of an explosive nature, accompanied by sharp, but not psychotic, changes in mental activity, including consciousness, pronounced vegetative and motor manifestations. The definition of "physiological" was introduced to emphasize the difference between normal and pathological affect, to show that its physical basis is made up of natural neurodynamic processes. In modern psychological literature, the concept of "affect" is used, usually without additional definitions.

Physiological affect is an extraordinary reaction for a person that occurs in response to exceptional circumstances. The first phase of physiological affect is called preparatory. The second phase (explosion phase) is characterized by: the explosive nature of the reaction with the appearance of a violent emotional outburst during the phase of affective tension, unexpected for the subject himself, (“subjective suddenness”), the experience of rage, anger, resentment.

A sharp transition to the second phase of an affective reaction is characterized by changes in mental activity in the form of fragmentary perception, narrowing and concentration of consciousness on a psycho-traumatic object; the presence of pronounced external signs emotional arousal (changes appearance, facial expressions, pantomimics, voices), reflecting physiological, biochemical changes in the body; features of affective actions with signs of stereotypy, impulsivity; sharp decline intellectual and volitional control of behavior with impaired ability to predict possible consequences their actions.

One of the important signs of a physiological affective reaction is previously uncharacteristic of the subject's forms of behavior, which at the same time come into conflict with the basic attitudes and values of the personality, the leading motives of activity, acquiring the features of involuntary situationality.

The third phase of the physiological affect is characterized by delineated post-affective states with a decrease in the functional level, lethargy, apathy, asthenic manifestations, partial affectogenic amnesia of one's actions, the situation of the offense.

Depending on the individual characteristics of the personality and the prevailing circumstances, the nature of psychogeny in the third phase of the physiological affect, various behavioral reactions and variants of asthenic conditions can be observed.

In the physiological affect that arose in response to acute psychogenia, immediately after the offense there is "repentance", often accompanied by a desire to help the victim. The deed is explained by his emotional state: “he lost his head”, “was not himself”, “faded in his eyes” from anger, rage or resentment. Characterized by the search for sympathy and indulgence, in most cases a detailed story about the offense, bewilderment about the very possibility of committing a crime, pity for the victims. Asthenic phenomena in the final phase of the affective reaction appear only in some fatigue.

In forensic psychiatric practice, the concept of strong "mental excitement" (affect) in mentally healthy persons includes physiological affect, emotional arousal, which has a significant impact on the behavior of the accused, and emotional stress, which had a significant impact on the behavior of the accused in the situation under study. This implies that an affective reaction should be characterized by sharpness, brightness, phasic manifestations and differ in intensity of expression. .

The states defined as emotional arousal and emotional stress, which have a significant impact on the behavior of the accused at the time of the offense, are similar in content. They are characterized by cumulation (accumulation) of negative emotions, sudden sudden motor excitation, affective constriction of consciousness due to psycho-traumatic circumstances, lack of choice of means of protection. The behavior of the accused is entirely subordinated to an affective motive. In these states, in the presence of a certain phase, during an affective reaction of this type to the inflicted insult, the first and second phases (preparatory and explosion phases) are noticeable and there may be completely absent or there may be a mild resolution phase, in the form of emotional exhaustion.

Thus, under the legal concept of strong emotional excitement (affect), provided for in Article 107 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, fall physiological affect and a state defined as emotional arousal and emotional stress that has a significant impact on the behavior of the accused at the time of the offense.

Determining the depth and severity of affective tension and physiological affect is the competence of an expert psychologist. At the same time, a differential diagnosis should be made between physiological affect and affective reactions that have a significant impact on the behavior of the accused in a criminal situation, and emotional reactions that occur at the time of the tort, but do not have the appropriate depth and severity, which do not fall under the concept of affect (Article 107 of the Criminal Code RF). The latter include the usual types of affective responses of psychopathic personalities of excitable and hysterical types. .

Diagnosis of physiological affect and other emotional states that have a significant impact on the behavior of the accused and fall under the concept of strong emotional agitation (affect) is the competence of a forensic psychological examination.

The diagnostic signs of affect include:

a) specific changes in consciousness.

One of the most important and essential characteristics of affect is its influence on a person's ability to fully recognize the significance of his actions and direct them.

This is explained by the fact that during the affect there is a narrowing of consciousness, its concentration on affectively significant experiences. Outwardly, this is expressed in a violation of the adequacy, purposefulness and consistency of behavior; in this case, a person performs actions directed at the nearest objects and goals without taking into account possible consequences.

An example of a violation of the adequacy and purposefulness of behavior can be the actions of G. After committing the murder, he ran into a witness walking towards him with a pistol in his outstretched hand. At the same time, G. did not notice anything and rested his pistol on his chest. When asked what happened, G. answered incoherently.

Violation of the adequacy of behavior was also observed in M. at the time of the murder: when killing K., he tore off her clothes and threw them into a nearby river stream, struck with acceleration, etc.

Another example of inconsistency and inadequacy of behavior are the actions of K., who, after committing the murder, did not go to open door, near which he stood, but jumped out of the window.

During the forensic psychological examination of T., it was established that the defendant at the time of the murder did not concentrate on purely affective experiences, as evidenced by the fact that when committing the crime, T. retained in his mind all the details of the situation, the situation and the actions of third parties, not relating directly to illegal actions, and in the future he easily reproduced these details, which indicates the absence of affective changes in consciousness.

The concentration of attention characteristic of an affect was not found in L. This was evidenced by the fact that during the period of the crime, L. retained in his mind an undesirable interference from outsiders who worked near the scene of the incident. As the defendant explained, these circumstances explain the fact that after the first blow with an ax, he dragged the victim into the bushes behind the barbed wire, where he was dealt a second fatal blow.

Thus, the affective narrowing of consciousness is quite diverse in its manifestations in human behavior. A single solution for all cases of the issue of specific manifestations of a change in consciousness is not possible. However, in general, the concentration of consciousness on affectively colored experiences leads to the fact that behavior acquires the features of situationality, inflexibility, and conflicts with the leading motives and basic life plans of the individual.

b) the suddenness of the onset of affect.

The state of affect is experienced by a person as imposed, independent of his will, which is largely due to the suddenness of the onset of this state.

Psychologically, suddenness should be understood in the sense of subjective suddenness, that is, the emergence of an emotional outburst unexpected for the subject himself. The subjective suddenness of the onset of an affect can occur with equal probability both in the case of the impact of a strong affectogenic stimulus, and as a result of the accumulation of affective experiences. In psychology, it is known that the repetition of situations that caused negative affective states leads to the accumulation of negative emotions, which can lead to an affective explosion in response to a seemingly insignificant reason (this circumstance is taken into account in the new Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

In the latter case, one might get the impression that the subject should have already gotten used to, adapted to affectogenic stimuli, or, on the contrary, he had formed inner readiness to affective outburst. With such a view, indeed, there is an illusion of the absence of an element of surprise. The fallacy of this approach lies in the substitution of subjective suddenness for the apparent preparedness of an outbreak by the whole course of events, in ignoring the fact that affective situations do not cause addiction, but the accumulation of affect.

The subjective experience of an affect as a sudden state is connected with the fact that an affect is not just a strong excitement or an intense emotion, but a state that is qualitatively fundamentally different, compared even with significant emotional stress, characterized by a specific effect on a person’s consciousness and activity. Therefore, even in those cases when an affect arises in response to an outwardly insignificant stimulus against the background of intense emotional experience, this state is subjectively perceived as unexpected, new, sudden.

With that said, there is little prospect for legal regulation investigative, judicial and expert practice, there is a discussion about whether an affect is possible if the humiliation of honor and dignity from the point of view of an objective picture is not “gross and deep”, whether from the point of view normal person"less serious insult" to cause a particularly painful reaction.

When deciding on the severity of an insult, from a psychological point of view, there is no direct unambiguous relationship between the objective severity of the insult (based on the rules of communication accepted in society or this environment) and its subjective perception, the strength of the subject's emotional response. Consequently, the apparently most insignificant stimulus, including, of course, “a less serious insult” can serve as a pretext for affective relaxation.

c) post-affective memory changes.

Changes in consciousness characteristic of affect lead to the subsequent forgetting of some events associated with the affective situation. The complete preservation of memories of all the details of the situation, the actions of not only one's own, but also others, may indirectly indicate the absence of a narrowing of consciousness, in which many memories of events experienced in a state of affect are lost.

Post-affective memory disorders, although they do not reach the degree of complete amnesia (characteristic of pathological affect and other morbid states of the psyche), are manifested in forgetting individual elements of the situation: in cases where illegal behavior is accompanied by a violation of purposefulness and adequacy, there is also a forgetting of some circumstances of the investigated developments.

Actions committed in a state of passion represent a single response to certain actions of the victim that are subjectively significant for a person. This is characterized by a violation of complex actions; stereotypical ones proceed faster, tending to automatism. Motor excitation, erratic actions, the presence of automatisms in them are important indicators of affect.

In the case of murder or serious bodily harm by means of firearms the presence of automatisms can be indicated not only by the repeated shots, but also by a short time interval between them.

The same patterns are typical for the commission of a crime with the use of cold steel. Significant amount knife wounds, some of which are applied posthumously, can serve as an indicator of the automaticity of actions. It must be taken into account that the scattered localization of injuries or blows with a significant number of them may indicate not only automaticity in actions, but also a lack of purposefulness in behavior.

With affect, all the physical forces of the body are mobilized, and in this state a person sometimes performs actions that are stronger than his usual capabilities.

So in the course of the investigative psychological examination in the criminal case of S., it was established that the subject, a man of asthenic constitution and not possessing great physical strength, managed to knock out a massive door locked with two locks, which he could not repeat later, during the investigative experiment.

Based on the materials of another case, it was established that a physically weak person struck M. with a large number of blows on the head with a stick; at the same time, the blows were so strong and destructive that the stick flew apart: when examining the room, many small scattered chips were found.

In the criminal case of R., no phenomena of motor excitation and automatism were established in his behavior when committing a crime. The murder was committed in two blows. Between the first blow with an ax and the second blow with a knife, a significant period of time (about 10 minutes) passed, during which R. behaved purposefully, talked to his sister and mother, told them about what had happened. These facts, along with others, indicate that R. was not in a state of passion when committing criminal acts. .

d) post-affective state.

At the moment of affective explosion there is an expenditure a large number nervous energy, after which a peculiar state of stupor and loss of strength sets in. The post-affective state is characterized by relaxation, fatigue, and a decrease in the feeling of relief.

Such a state was established by an examination in the criminal case of M., accused of murder. After it was done, M. sat, covering his face with his hands, did not take any active action did not answer questions; later, in a conversation with an expert, he said that he felt very tired, “the whole body was broken and trembled violently.”

On the other hand, another expert T., on the other hand, after committing the murder, not only actively acted, dragged the victim to a more secluded place, after that he covered a considerable distance in a short time - more than two kilometers.

When conducting a similar examination in the case of Zh., it was also established that immediately after inflicting a mortally wound on G., he fled the scene of the crime and walked several kilometers without feeling particularly tired in the snow.

An analysis of the last two facts indicates the absence of a specific post-effect state among the accused, which, in comparison with other data, may indicate the absence of affect during the commission of a crime. The presence of a post-affective state, as a rule, is expressed in the impossibility of a person to take active actions after committing a crime, in particular, to hide his traces or other efforts that require great physical or nervous tension.

e) the presence of external signs of affect.

Testimony of witnesses about the presence of a sudden change in the emotional state of the subject during the study period is extremely valuable for diagnosing the state of affect. Specific changes in voice, facial expressions, appearance are essential diagnostic features.

So, according to the testimony of witnesses, at the time of the murder, N. spoke “not in his alien, hoarse voice”, “he was shaking all over”.

In the criminal case of G., witnesses testified that after the first shot, “his eyes were widened, red, tears came out of them.” Then he approached the victim and, "quite crying," shot him three times in a row. After that, G., “upset and excited, jumped out into another room”, where he answered questions incoherently, his face “was very white”, “his eyes expressed horror”, “the pupils were dilated, while he was trembling all over”.

Such specific changes in the appearance of the subject are the result of those changes (physiological, biochemical and vegetative) that occur in the body of a person experiencing an affect.

In psychology, it is generally recognized that an affect arises as a reaction to an actual situation that has actually occurred and, in this sense, is, as it were, shifted to the end of the event. Affect arises under the conditions of traumatic factors as a reaction to danger, threat to life, violence from someone, that is, in situations affecting the physical existence of a person. Affect can also be caused by various social conflicts, insults, humiliation of the dignity of the individual, hurting her self-esteem.

Psychologically, such situations can be characterized as conflict situations, when the opportunity (subjective) for adequate behavior is significantly reduced. The situation is a conflict for the subject, when, if necessary, to continue the activity, he encounters subjectively insurmountable obstacles. The subjective lack of adequate means to get out of the situation leads to an increase in tension and then to a violent affect that destroys the current situation.

In real conditions, a state of affect can arise:

a) in response to an unexpected strong stimulus in the absence of a pre-prepared program of behavior; at the same time, the strength of the stimulus is determined primarily by the subjective meaning of the events and situations in which the person acts;

b) as a result of the gradual accumulation of affective experiences in a traumatic environment. In such cases, an insignificant reason in itself can cause a short-term violent emotional reaction, an affect.

In the criminal case of R., the question of the nature of the mental state of the accused at the time of the murder, as well as the question of “what factors and circumstances caused it (mental state) was raised for examination. The circumstances of the case are as follows: at 24:00, R. killed citizen Z. in his apartment with shots from a pistol, whom he found hiding behind a screen. A few months earlier, R. found his wife in his mother-in-law's apartment alone with Z., after which she told that she was with the latter in intimate relationship. In the period leading up to the murder, R. experienced severe emotions caused by renewed suspicions that his wife continued to support intimate relationship with 3. At the same time, the peculiarity of the situation was that R.'s suspicions either increased or decreased, since he had accurate information about the nature of the current relationship between his wife and Z., and his wife and other relatives convinced him of the inconsistency of these suspicions.

It followed from R.'s testimony that mentally he repeatedly imagined himself in a situation where he would find his wife with 3. and worked out a clear plan of action for himself: detain 3. and make his behavior public (3. held a responsible post). However, unexpectedly for R., when he discovered Z. who was hiding, the latter rushed at him with shouts and insults.

Psychologically, the conflict nature of the situation that has arisen is determined by the fact that R. developed a program of behavior that turned out to be unsuitable, since Z. himself switched to aggressive actions. Absence preparatory plan actions in case of such behavior 3. put R. in the classic situation of the onset of affect, when the subject must immediately respond in response to a strong stimulus, but does not have a ready-made program for adequate actions.

Thus, from a psychological point of view, the situation in which R. committed the crime can be characterized as conducive to the emergence of a state of passion.

In conclusion, we note that psychologists and lawyers who develop the problem of affect in criminal law traditionally proceed from the fact (this position was also shared by the legislator) that in these cases, although the selectivity of behavior is difficult, in connection with which responsibility and punishment are mitigated, but in principle, it is preserved. It is believed that the consciousness of a person in a state of passion, although narrowed, is, as it were, in "blinders", but, nevertheless, he could restrain himself, stop the development of events.

Sitkovskaya O.D. believes that it is not always possible to apply the criterion of conscious-volitional behavior to actions "at the peak" of affect. Of course, before the beginning of the affect itself, its implementation in actions, the subject retains the ability to realize and manage his behavior in the sense of keeping himself from affective actions or switching them to an object that is insignificant from the point of view of a criminal law prohibition. In other words, liability is justified by the non-use by the subject real possibility prevent actions in a state of passion by suppressing or switching their emotional experiences. There is a point of view “that a slight degree of intoxication, as it were, automatically in itself removes the question of physiological affect, regardless of the severity of the insult committed against such a person, and, therefore, removes the question of a sudden strong emotional excitement ...” .

Thus, physiological affect is an attempt by the weak to decide conflict situation in conditions of time shortage by the methods of the strong. Therefore, in a conflict in which one of the two finds himself in a state of passion, this "turned out to be in a state" will usually be the one who is weaker. "Stronger" usually removes the threat from the "weaker" by the normal use of force. But even the "stronger" may be in a state of passion - if he is forbidden to use his strength, or he himself has established such a ban. An example with such a relatively rare situation is given at the end of the section.

If the weak is threatened by a stronger or superior group, the natural reaction for the weak would be to flee. In most cases, this is exactly what happens. The effect occurs when

a) when a strong attacker deprives a weak one of such an opportunity,

b) when the weak has an ambitious character,

c) when a weak person did not have time to have such an idea, either due to lack of time, or because of the viscosity of thinking, or because of reduced intelligence. Later, when the victim has already been killed, and the defendant is awaiting trial and several years in prison, he agrees that if he ran away, it would be beneficial for everyone. And he does not understand why this idea did not come to his mind earlier.

The emergence of an affective situation is favored by the following individual psychological characteristics of the personality of the defendant

a) egocentrism

b) overconfidence

c) excessive claims to others,

d) internal self-doubt,

e) intellectual or physical weakness.

Establishing that the crime was committed in a state of physiological passion significantly reduces the defendant's guilt for the crime. But whether the threat to life or the infliction of a grave insult should always automatically end in a physiological affect. Our answer is a resounding "no".

Only a psychologist, by a thorough analysis of the case under study, in particular by an analysis of the energy of the persons acting in it, can give a final answer.

Therefore, a psychologist conducting a forensic psychological examination has a special responsibility, which he can justify only if he has a deep understanding of the nature of energy states.

culpable murder psychological affect

People's lives are filled with many states, which are often expressed by actions and behavior. A person's experiences are reflected by his emotions, which convey the body's reaction to certain stimuli. This applies both to changes in the surrounding reality and to people.

A person has a lot of emotions. They can be positive and negative, adequate and pathological. The latter are manifested in such a way that you can notice an increase in mood, and its decrease. It is pathological emotions that affect affect, which is also characterized by a pronounced reaction with its excessive manifestation of a non-verbal nature.

The concept of affect and description

Affect - strong feelings that are formed at the moment when a person is unable to find a way out of a critical situation.

Such a state provokes the inhibition of other processes at the mental level, and also implements behavioral reactions corresponding to such a manifestation.

Strong emotional experiences in such a state lead to the fact that consciousness is narrowed, and the will is limited. After the unrest experienced, one can observe special complexes, the launch of which occurs without realizing the reasons that caused such a reaction.

The term "state of affect" implies uncontrolled actions that can lead to rash acts. Behavior is usually formed against the will, a person is not able to consciously control it.

This concept can also be found in jurisprudence. A person in this state can represent a serious danger in society, and his actions are regarded as antisocial. FROM medical point vision, the state of affect is defined as a loss of control over emotions at the time of psycho-emotional arousal.

For every person in a state of passion, in the company of other people, one could observe anger, tears or reddening of the face. And after a while, he thought about how to return time and change everything regarding his behavior. This can happen to anyone, and there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Causes and pathogenesis

A person experiences a state of affect in case of any traumatic situation, in an unpleasant conversation with an interlocutor, or as a result of negative emotions caused. Among the many factors that can provoke this behavior, psychologists distinguish the following most common reasons:

a dangerous situation that threatens a person and can harm him (this includes direct and indirect threats);
a conflict occurring between two or more personalities, as well as a situation caused by excessive emotions;
lack of time, due to the need to respond quickly at critical moments;
actions of other people that affect personal self-esteem and, thereby, traumatic feelings of a person;
memories that negatively affect a comfortable existence;
features of the individual in relation to his nervous system and psyche (stability, strength);
increased emotions and impulsivity;
regular repetition of events that traumatize the psyche;
unexpected actions of an irritant when a person does not have a specific plan of action.

Condition symptoms

Affect, like many emotional reactions, accompanies a number of specific signs. In addition to the fact that in many respects their manifestation depends on the type of affect, there are also general ones, which are divided into two categories: mandatory and additional.

The first group of signs includes:

Additional symptoms of affect include:

negative emotional disorders: disturbed sleep, fatigue, the occurrence of certain diseases;
feeling of hopelessness;
consciousness, speech and motor skills are partially disturbed;
the sense of reality is lost, everything around is perceived in a distorted form.

In addition, the signs of affect are divided into:

Internal- a person is, as it were, cut off from reality; the sense of time and perception of space are lost; connection with consciousness is broken; there is fear and
External. This includes posture, facial expressions, timbre of voice, intonation and others.

Modern classification

Specialists divide affect into the following types:

Pathological. It is of a short-term nature, while consciousness becomes cloudy, control over behavior is completely lost.
Physiological. The state is quite sane, but is accompanied by serious limitations in consciousness. A person controls his actions and gives them an account.
Affect of inadequacy. The defensive reaction to failure is too violent. As a rule, there is anger, anger.

Pathological affect

This type of pathology belongs to the group of neurological disorders and is characterized by uncontrolled crying, laughter and other manifestations caused by an emotional background. Often this condition is secondary to

People without such pathologies, but having an increased reaction to, are also susceptible to the development of this condition. The consequence of this may be malnutrition, overwork, lack of sleep.

In many cases, the “accumulation effect” also plays an equally important role. negative emotions accumulate for a long time, but at one moment they come out in the form of a pathological affect. Usually, they are directed towards the person with whom the conflict occurs.

According to doctors, this condition lasts only a few seconds. During this time, a person can show abnormal strength and behavior for him.

Specialists have divided pathological affect into 3 phases:

Preparatory. During this period, there is an increase in emotional stress, a change in the perception of reality and a violation of the ability to adequately assess the situation. Consciousness is focused only on the traumatic experience.
Explosive. This stage is characterized by aggressive actions. In addition, one can observe abrupt change emotions - from rage to despair, from anger to bewilderment.
Final. There is an exhaustion of forces, both mental and physical. Suddenly, there may be a desire to sleep or a state of complete indifference to what is happening.

The diagnosis is of particular medical and forensic significance, since the pathological affect can act as a basis for recognizing the insanity of the patient at the moment when he committed a crime or violated other legal laws.

To confirm the diagnosis, a forensic medical examination is carried out. During the diagnostic process:

carefully study the history of the patient's life, especially his psyche;
if there are witnesses, their testimonies are considered, confirming the manifestly inadequate actions performed at the time of the alleged affect.

The decision to apply therapeutic measures in each case is taken individually. Since this state is short-term, after its termination the patient returns to his normal state.

In the absence of any mental disorders, treatment is not necessary. If abnormalities are identified, appropriate therapeutic procedures are carried out.

Physiological form of the disorder

This type of condition provides for the moment that a person is not recognized as insane. Such an action on an emotional background is not refers to a disease, and consists in an explosive reaction (positive or negative) to a stimulus. The occurrence occurs instantly, its course is rapid, and the manifestations are characterized by a change in the patient's mental balance and actions.

A person is able to control and realize everything that he does. There is no clouding of consciousness, memory remains in normal condition and no twilight effects.

Among the reasons are:

conflict;
a threat to the life of a person or his relatives;
negative behavior towards a person, consisting in insult, which leads to a decrease in self-esteem.

Such states can be observed only in some annoying situations. However, it should be noted that such a reaction is often not comparable with real threat and may depend on factors such as:

age;
self-esteem;
state of the nervous system;
fatigue, menstrual period, insomnia.

Affective states are accompanied by the following characteristic features:

transience;
intensity;
sharpness;
aggression, unjustified cruelty;
a state of exhaustion, at times partial.

As a rule, physiological affect does not require treatment, since it is a short-term reaction that does not cause psychotic changes in a person's activity.

The concept of affect in criminology

In the Criminal Code, crimes are divided into those committed with mitigating and aggravating circumstances. Taking given fact into account, we can say that killing or causing harm to health in a state of passion are mitigating factors.

It is possible to attribute an affect to a criminal law action only when a sudden excitement arises against the background of violence, bullying, immoral behavior in relation to a person and other unlawful acts.

However, it is worth mentioning that the situation that provoked such a state must be real, and not imagined by the subject.

It must be remembered that certain forms of affect can be controlled. But here the training of consciousness and the education of self-control are important.

When a person is close to the state, but his mind is still able to think sensibly, you can try the following:

try to find measures that contributed to a change in the situation;
direct all thoughts to keeping your reaction as long as possible (counting or breathing exercises help well);
try to focus on anything other than the object that provokes the affect.

In special cases, such training is unlikely to help. Here the help of a psychotherapist or even drug therapy is already needed.