Common emotions create body that mapped

Most common emotions trigger strong sensations in different areas of the body, with areas varying depending on the kind of emotion, researchers in Finland say. In addition, the sensation patterns prove to be consistent across different cultures, showing emotions and their corresponding bodily sensation patterns have a biological basis, scientists at Aalto University reported. More than 700 participants in Finland, Sweden and Taiwan participated in experiments intended to map their bodily sensations in connection with specific emotions. The study found discrete areas for each emotion tested -- such as happiness, contempt and love -- that were consistent regardless of respondents' nationality. "Emotions adjust not only our mental, but also our bodily states. This way they prepare us to react swiftly to the dangers, but also to the opportunities such as pleasurable social interactions present in the environment," psychology Professor Lauri Nummenmaa said in a university release. Further development of bodily sensation maps could one day result in a new way of identifying and treating emotional disorders, the researchers said.