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How to ThinkIn the Age of AI
Definitionv1DF-121

Emotional reactivity

the automatic, often rapid emotional response to information that occurs before conscious evaluation and is driven by pattern-matching in the amygdala rather than analytical processing

Why This Is a Definition

This definition precisely establishes the semantic boundary of 'emotional reactivity' by identifying its key characteristics: automatic nature, rapid onset, amygdala-driven pattern matching, and distinction from analytical processing. It distinguishes this term from general emotion and specifies the neurological mechanism involved.