The Alba Emoting Experiential method: what it is and what ideas it is based on

The Alba Experiential Emoting (AEV) is a transformational method for the work, improvement and release of emotions.

It was created in the 70s by the German psychophysiologist Susana Bloch after extensive research to discover what were the patterns of pure basic emotions.

• Related article: "History of Psychology: main authors and theories"

Characteristics of the Alba Emoting Experiential method

According to Susana Bloch's point of view, human beings live in Mixed Emotions, or secondary, as Antonio Damasio dominated in “El Error de Descartes”. This means that we do not experience, for example, joy in a pure way, but it can go together with sadness (as when we cry with emotion).

If we stop for a moment and take a journey into our daily life, we will realize that the emotional experience is full of grief, sadness, anger, fear, fright, anguish, sensuality and tenderness. Each of these emotions are linked to others and, on rare occasions, we genuinely live them.

Therefore... What is Alba Emoting Experiential? It is a scientifically validated method after the discovery of

the effector patterns of pure basic emotions in a large population.

The first contact began in the School of Medicine of the University of Chile, continuing the project in the US, France and Spain. The emotions that were studied were: joy, sadness, fear, anger, and love. After the investigation, love was divided into two differentiable ways subjectively, physiologically and behaviorally: eroticism (sexuality) and tenderness (filial love, parental love, friendship and camaraderie).

The division of love into two forms is postulated in the sense that the two emotions are necessary in relation to the survival of the species. If there were no Eroticism, the species would become extinct and there would be no universal elements to recognize the desire of the other person. On the other hand, the tenderness emotion is vital for the protection and care for all human beings in the first years of life.

These six emotions gave way to the further development of the search for effector patterns. After years of meticulous and systematic experiments, this effector system of each emotion could be certified.

Basic emotions

When we enter the pure basic emotion, we unblock the stuck material and a release occurs that translates into a bodily feeling of well-being and calm.

According to Darwin in 1868, basic emotions meet certain characteristics:

• They are universal and have universal facial expressions, recognizable by all individuals of the same species.
• They are biologically primitive in the sense that they are fundamental to the survival of the species.
• They are acultural, emotions are present in all cultures and in all races.
• They are of the first order for the ontogenetic development of the species.

"A basic emotion implies a functional, physical and mental state, which is different and specific according to the emotion" (Bloch, 2003).

• You may be interested in: "Emotional psychology: main theories of emotion"

The functions of this method

Without a doubt, the basic emotion is a relational code of the human being that invites him to adapt to different circumstances without losing its essence. This system permanently regulates the functioning of life in all its complex range of biodiversity.

On the other hand, science knows little about the physiological bases that are activated by emotional states. We know that the heart rate is altered, there is a galvanic response and blood pressure is also affected, although here there is still a long way to go. But we do know after exhaustive experimentation that there are effective patterns for each emotion and these are concrete and unique for each of the emotions cited.

The development of the method is carried out by a specialist in the Alba Emoting Vivencial system and can be done in a group or individually.

The method is studied for the improvement of emotional blocks and all kinds of disorders, for the management and self-knowledge of social and emotional skills, for the development of creativity and personal growth.