Two-Factor Theory

How do we label our feelings?

The Two-Factor Theory of Emotion by Schachter and Singer recognises that emotions are not just raw feelings, but a powerful blend of physical arousal and the meaning we give to it. In this view, our racing heartbeat, tense muscles, or quickened breath do not automatically dictate fear, joy, or anger. Rather, it is the context and the story we attach to that arousal that shapes our emotional experience. Imagine your heart pounding: on a roller coaster, you may call it excitement, but in a dark alley, you may label it fear. This insight is profoundly valuable for society and individual wellbeing because it empowers us to reinterpret our bodily signals, turning anxiety into motivation or stress into focus. By recognising that emotions are not fixed, but labelled, we gain agency over our inner world, fostering healthier responses to challenges, reducing unnecessary conflict, and nurturing resilience. In health and personal wellbeing, this means we can learn to channel physiological arousal, whether from stress, exercise, or daily life, into positive, life-enhancing emotions, building a more adaptive, compassionate, and emotionally intelligent society. To best interpret personal data, we need the help of the Holy Spirit who knows all things and will give us accurate and reliable discernment, if we will choose to walk with Him.