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Feeling of Surprise: Embracing the Uncertainty

Roamers Therapy I August 2024

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According to Paul Ekman’s research, surprise is one of our fundamental emotions. As surprising as it is, we feel surprised when we come across something we do not expect. This can be unexpected sounds, movements, and behaviors. For example, you can feel surprised when you unexpectedly hear a horn from a car. Or it might be very surprising to see a friend you know passing by or bumping into them on the road unexpectedly. But as you may experience, surprise is a very brief emotion. After a car honks at you, the feeling of surprise might turn into anger. Also, after you bump into your friend unexpectedly, you might feel joy after a little while. As Paul Ekman states, surprise is the briefest because it is a reaction we give to ambiguous stimuli (Ekman, 2024). After we figure out what it is, it tends to leave its place to another emotion. Since this ambiguous stimulus could be bad or good, it contains a severe amount of uncertainty in it. For this reason, the reaction we can give to it varies. Surprise can be followed by fear, excitement, anger, sadness, and all other emotions. You may notice that some people say they do not like surprises, and others enjoy the feeling of surprise. The critical point in this difference is the ambiguousness of the stimuli. As we mentioned, we encounter surprises in case of uncertainties. This therapy sketch examines feelings of surprise, reactions to uncertainty, and how we can cope.

Surprise in our Brain

As mentioned, surprise is an essential emotional state caused by an unexpected stimulus. When the surprise is positive, we expect the outcome to be pleasant, triggering intense activation in specific brain areas. These areas are also responsible for other emotions, such as joy and satisfaction. The brain’s reward center’s basal ganglia plays a vital role in processing surprises with positive outcomes. This happens because the brain unconsciously expects a reward (Wessel et al., 2016).

Additionally, as with other emotions, the amygdala is essential in surprise situations. It helps you to decide whether the situation is good for you or not in the first place. In this context, when there is a surprise, two different groups of neurons are activated according to what we expect.  The amygdala reacts differently based on whether the surprise is pleasant or unpleasant. For example, a positive surprise, like receiving an unexpected reward, will engage different neural pathways than a negative one (Murray, 2007). The amygdala has connections with other brain structures that help us process surprises. 

  1. The prefrontal cortex helps us evaluate what these surprises mean and decide how to respond to them. It plays a key role in cognitive functions and helps regulate the emotional response triggered by the amygdala (Kim et al., 2003).
  2. The Anterior Cingulate Cortex helps us monitor the situation and detect conflicts between expectations and actual outcomes. This structure is mainly useful when surprises are negative (Alexander et al., 2019).
  3. The striatum, particularly the ventral striatum, processes reward-based surprises. It reinforces learning based on positive outcomes (Tops et al., 2012).

Surprises have significant implications for our memory as well. For instance, you will likely remember your surprise birthday party rather than your other one. Brain imaging studies have demonstrated the relationship between learning and surprises in the brain. In 2001, researchers observed what happens in the brain when a surprise occurs while learning something. They concluded that the brain’s reward center became less activated as participants became familiar with the presentation of stimuli. However, this reward center was reactivated when they encountered a new surprise. This was thought to be because surprises trigger a series of dopaminergic mechanisms that increase attention and motivation (Emory University and Baylor College of Medicine, 2001).

As you can see, surprises have multiple effects on our brains. When the outcome is likely positive, it activates the reward system and enhances our learning. However, you might come across people who do not like surprises at all. They might even avoid surprise birthday parties, which might end probably in a positive way. This might be the cause of the uncertainty element that surprise has.  Let’s go deep into what uncertainty is and its relation to surprise.

Surprise and Uncertainty

Uncertainty is defined as situations where essential and sufficient information is lacking as it overlaps the concept of surprise. As mentioned, the outcome is only predictable, and it has the possibility to end in a way you want to be or quite the opposite. This can cause significant discomfort to some people. This discomfort is called intolerance of uncertainty. 

Intolerance to uncertainty is described as a tendency to respond with negative emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions when faced with uncertainty (Carleton, 2016). If you experience intolerance to uncertainty, you can feel intense anxiety in uncertain situations, thinking that the worst possible outcome will happen and trying to control everything to remove uncertainty are examples of these reactions. You can say, “Who likes uncertainty, anyway?” Of course, it’s completely understandable that uncertainty can be somewhat uncomfortable for nearly everyone. However, the discomfort people feel in the face of uncertainty varies greatly, and some experience much higher levels of distress (Rettie & Daniels, 2021).

Dimensions of Uncertainty

There are two dimensions of intolerance of uncertainty: perceiving uncertain situations as a severe threat and struggling to take action. 

  • Severe threat perception during uncertainty: People with high intolerance of uncertainty have difficulty acting effectively when faced with uncertainty, as they try to be “prepared for possible disasters they may face in the future (Birrel et al.,2011). For example, you might think of throwing a surprise party for your partner. But once your partner hears that there will be a surprise party, they can immediately imagine scenarios that can go bad. 
  • Struggling to take action: Additionally, their perception of uncertainty as a threat is independent of the likelihood of the event happening. In other words, when you buy a surprise plane ticket for your loved one, they might think of the scary option, for example, a plane crashing (the possibility is very low). This thinking might prevent them from flying, or when they react to this surprise, it is more like a wrongdoing than a gesture.

What behaviors are exhibited by people with high intolerance of uncertainty?

The natural tendency of people with high intolerance of uncertainty is to avoid uncertain situations or, when avoidance is not possible, to try to eliminate the uncertainty (Grenier et al., 2005). Common behaviors in this regard are (Boswell, 2013)

  • Making detailed lists: Everything you can think of—daily to-dos, meals to be cooked for the week, travel itineraries during vacations, transportation options.
  • Checking everything multiple times: “Being sure” provides temporary relief from the surprises and discomfort of uncertainty.
  • Seeking reassurance from others: Constantly ask for others’ opinions or do research to take the “clearly right” step.
  • Distracting oneself: Keeping busy to avoid thinking about the uncertain situation; for instance, sleeping or watching movies while waiting for a job application response.
  • Refusing to delegate tasks: Rather than risking the uncertainty of how someone else will perform a task, doing everything themselves.
  • Avoiding situations that involve surprises: For example, they may not attend a friend’s birthday unless they are certain someone they don’t like won’t be there. They may also go to the same restaurant, where they know their menu is good, rather than trying a new one. 

People use these behaviors to gain a sense of control to prevent the unpleasant experiences caused by uncertainty. However, this sense of control is actually an illusion because life is full of surprises and has different uncertainties that we cannot control. Thus, surprises remain a threat to these individuals. The continuous effort to eliminate the uncertainty of the surprises and the fear it generate can negatively impact their family, work, and social lives.

Can intolerance of uncertainty be increased?

Through methods aimed at acceptance and tolerating discomfort, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or other therapy modalities like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, it is possible to increase tolerance of uncertainty, enjoy the beauty and ambiguity of surprises, take reasonable risks, and form a new relationship with life’s uncertainties. Doing so allows the person to adapt more quickly to changes, make decisions with greater ease and confidence, be more open to surprising situations, and still feel safe.

Takeaways

  • Surprise is a brief, fundamental emotion triggered by unexpected stimuli. Its intensity depends on how we perceive the situation—whether it is positive or negative.
  • Our brain processes surprises through various structures, such as the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and striatum, influencing how we respond to and remember these moments.
  • Uncertainty plays a crucial role in how we experience surprise, and for some, intolerance to uncertainty can cause anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
  • Therapy modalities such as CBT, ACT, DBT, and mindfulness-based therapies help individuals increase their tolerance of uncertainty, allowing them to embrace surprises and navigate uncertainty.

References:

  1. Paul Ekman Group, LLC. (2024, August 15). What is Surprise? | Surprise Emotion | Paul Ekman Group. Paul Ekman Group. https://www.paulekman.com/universal-emotions/what-is-surprise/
  2. Wessel, J. R., Jenkinson, N., Brittain, J., Voets, S. H. E. M., Aziz, T. Z., & Aron, A. R. (2016). Surprise disrupts cognition via a fronto-basal ganglia suppressive mechanism. Nature Communications, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11195
  3. Murray, E. A. (2007). The amygdala, reward, and emotion. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 11(11), 489-497.
  4. Kim, H., Somerville, L. H., Johnstone, T., Alexander, A. L., & Whalen, P. J. (2003). Inverse amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex responses to surprised faces. Neuroreport, 14(18), 2317-2322.
  5. Alexander, W. H., & Brown, J. W. (2019). The role of the anterior cingulate cortex in prediction error and signaling surprise. Topics in cognitive science, 11(1), 119-135.
  6. Tops, M., & Boksem, M. A. (2012). “What’s that?”“What went wrong?” Positive and negative surprise and the rostral–ventral to caudal–dorsal functional gradient in the brain. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 21.
  7. Emory University Health Sciences Center. “Human Brain Loves Surprises, Research Reveals.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 April 2001. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/04/010415224316.htm>.
  8. Carleton, R. (2016). Into the unknown: A review and synthesis of contemporary models involving uncertainty. Journal Of Anxiety Disorders, 39, 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.02.007
  9. Rettie, H., & Daniels, J. (2021). Coping and tolerance of uncertainty: Predictors and mediators of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Psychologist, 76(3), 427-437. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000710
  10. Birrell, J., Meares, K., Wilkinson, A., & Freeston, M. (2011). Toward a definition of intolerance of uncertainty: A review of factor analytical studies of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(7), 1198-1208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.07.009
  11. Grenier, S., Barrette, A.-M., & Ladouceur, R. (2005). Intolerance of uncertainty and intolerance of ambiguity: similarities and differences. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 593–600.
  12. Boswell, J., Thompson-Hollands, J., Farchione, T., & Barlow, D. (2013). Intolerance of Uncertainty: A Common Factor in the Treatment of Emotional Disorders. Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 69(6), 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21965

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