Even adults have something to learn from Inside Out 2, the new Pixar film about emotional development, says a University of Guelph psychologist.
Dr. Kristel Thomassin, professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, studies the way families support children’s emotional development. She says the box office hit gives viewers of all ages important lessons about nurturing emotional health.
“What I would recommend to the average person is to not be afraid of emotions,” Thomassin says. “I think we’re socialized to fear certain types of emotions. That will differ based on factors like gender and cultural background. How many times have we heard ‘boys don’t cry’?”
Thomassin says “emotions are like clues,” providing important information that can inform our reactions. The film, a sequel to Inside Out, introduces two new characters, Anxiety and Envy, who personify these emotions that people so often experience. They remind us of what anxiety and envy might mean in our own lives.
“Anxiety is trying to tell us that something bad could happen,” she says. “For example, if you’re anxious about a test coming up, the anxiety is trying to tell you that you could do poorly. It’s urging you to study.”
A feeling like envy is signifying there is something that we want in life, Thomassin says, whereas boredom, another character in the film, tries to clue us in on low motivation.
Validating emotions is important, Thomassin says, but it is important to note that emotions affect actions.
“What you want to be cautious about is the impact the emotion has on your behaviour, or the way you think and view yourself,” she says.
Thomassin consistently finds in her research that people who do not develop emotion skills early on – the ability to identify and regulate emotional experiences – are at greater risk for poor academic, mental health and social functioning. But it’s never too late to build those emotion skills, she says.
“My take-home message from the film would be to support individuals’ experiences with emotions, especially in children,” Thomassin says. “Validating their experiences will help them learn about emotions, what they are and how to identify them. That in and of itself is an important skill to help prevent psychological problems down the road.”
Viewing emotions as potentially helpful information, rather than a permanent truth, might help people cope with intense emotional experiences in the moment.
“In clinical practice, we often communicate that emotions are like waves,” she says. “Some waves are bigger and some smaller. But all waves pass. Have compassion for yourself and be aware that intense emotions are not the be-all, end-all.”
Contact:
Dr. Kristel Thomassin
kristel.thomassin@uoguelph.ca