November 02, 2025

How our expectations shape what we see, hear, and feel

10 minutes

A neuroscientist, a psychologist, and a psychotherapist discuss how emotions are stories built from old experiences. By introducing new ones, you can shift the way your past shapes you.

Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, psychologist Paul Eckman, PhD, and psychotherapist Esther Perel, PhD, explain how the brain constantly rebuilds emotions from memory and prediction. According to their research, by choosing new experiences today, we can reshape how our past influences us, gain more control over our feelings, and create new possibilities for connection and growth.

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About Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD:

Lisa Feldman Barrett is University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, with appointments at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She directs the Interdisciplinary Affective Science Laboratory, where she researches the nature of emotion and the brain’s predictive processes.

About Esther Perel, PhD:

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist and author recognized worldwide for her work on modern relationships. Perel is also a sought-after public speaker, with TED Talks reaching millions, and consults globally with organizations on relational intelligence.

About Paul Ekman, PhD:

Paul Ekman is professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, San Francisco, and a leading authority on emotion and nonverbal communication. He pioneered research on microexpressions and developed the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), used widely in psychology, law enforcement, and security.

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By bigthink

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