Inside Out Worksheet 3f575f

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. Some psychologists attempt to quantify it in different people in of Emotional Quotient (EQ) – in an attempt to align it with intelligence quotient (IQ). By this definition, empathy must also play an important role in emotional intelligence. In my view, Inside Out is really a study of Emotional Intelligence. The premise of the film is simple. We’re introduced to five characters: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust (Disney decided not to include the sixth primary emotion – surprise), who represent core human emotions. Joy’s goal has always been to make sure Riley stays happy. She is light-hearted, optimistic and determined to find the fun in every situation. Joy sees challenges in Riley’s life as opportunities, and the less happy moments as hiccups on the way back to something great. As long as Riley is happy, so is Joy.

Disgust is highly opinionated, extremely honest and prevents Riley from getting poisoned — both physically and socially. She keeps a careful eye on the people, places and things that Riley comes into with — whether that’s broccoli or last year’s fashion trend. Disgust always has the best of intentions and refuses to lower her standards. Fear’s main job is to protect Riley and keep her safe. He is constantly on the lookout for potential disasters, and spends time evaluating the possible dangers, pitfalls and risk involved in Riley’s everyday activities. There are very few activities and events that Fear does not find to be dangerous and possibly fatal Anger feels very ionately about making sure things are fair for Riley. He has a fiery spirit and tends to explode (literally) when things don’t go as planned. He is quick to overreact and has little patience for life’s imperfections.

None of the other Emotions really understand what Sadness’s role is. Sadness would love to be more optimistic and helpful in keeping Riley happy, but she finds it so hard to be positive. Sometimes it seems like the best thing to do is just lie on the floor and have a good cry.

After the emotions are described, another layer unfolds: We learn how Riley’s personality is formed throughout her early childhood, and how emotions play a part in that formation. Important events like bonding with her father, being soothed by her mother, and reaching developmental milestones create memories ( that memory is considered another way of knowing in TOK). These memories (represented by luminous orbs collected in the brain’s control centre) are the building blocks of Riley’s fundamental personality traits (called “Islands” by Joy). The Islands are named Family, Honesty, Friendship, Goofball, and Hockey. Obviously, this concept is simplified as these aren’t meant to map exact personality traits but they are similarly enduring, fundamental aspects of what makes Riley who she is. For example, during her early years, through meaningful interactions with her father, she picks up on his silly, playful sense of humor, and develops her own “goofy” characteristics that make up Goofball Island (here’s where we see that one’s personality isn’t just shaped by what we experience –it’s also inherited). The Islands look like distant, fantastically fun, mini amusement parks –and they are idiographic (relating to the study or discovery of particular, rather than general, facts). Further in the film, we begin to learn that interactions between emotions are telling. For instance, Joy grows annoyed with Sadness’s constant negativity and hopelessness. She draws a circle in the back of the control room and orders Sadness to stay inside of it, far away from the control center’s buttons, the other emotions, and any other aspect of the brain that could be “contaminated.” Joy can’t seem to see any value in Sadness, asg her no real purpose or responsibility in Riley’s brain. In that moment, Joy’s doing what we regularly do: Try to avoid sadness. In fact, it’s only human to push away the discomfort of sadness, grief, and anxiety. Joy’s attempt to contain and even minimize Sadness is an incredibly relatable thing. Again, we ask ourselves, are we better off—safer, happier, better human beings—when we avoid sadness? Along with Joy, we learn an important but hard-hitting fact. We don’t need joy all the time. It’s OK to feel sad. Moreover, experiencing and processing sadness can actually prepare us for the emotional challenges we’ll face in the future. It’s important for us to learn that we can overcome feelings associated with pain and loss. This could mean we are better prepared emotionally to deal with the impact of trauma, suffering, or grief. In their Insider Access to Inside Out interview, the film’s director Pete Docter and voice actress Amy Poehler (Joy) explained that many psychologists, psychiatrists and neurologists were involved in the creative process in order to establish some key components of the movie. According to Docter, the fundamental point of the film is to show viewers that emotions can drive thinking and behavior. Poehler added that the hardship Riley encounters is intended to be more commonplace; moving to another town is something “we can all relate to.” She described Inside Out as a “teaching tool” parents can use to help children learn the role of emotions.

Some guiding questions based on the film



1. When we meet Riley, most of the time Joy is in charge of her thoughts and personality. Which emotion(s) do you feel most often and why? 2. Riley and her family go through a lot of changes when they move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Have you ever gone through a big transition? Were emotions be a help or a hindrance in this situation? 3. How are the glowing balls, or “core memories” made? What are yours? 4. What do the core memories have to do with Riley’s personality? Do you think there is a clear link between memory and emotion? 5. When Sadness touches one of the happy core memories, she colors it blue. What do you think is going on then? Is it possible that our current moods can color our past memories? Or how we define our personality? 6. Do you think that the core memories were changed forever or was there a temporary filter on them? 7. When Riley’s mother tells her that she is helping her parents by being their “happy girl,” Riley feels pressure to only show them her joy. What do you think of this? 8. Do you think that our society values certain emotions over others? Which ones? 9. At the end of the movie, Joy learns that other emotions, especially Sadness, are also important. Why? 10. Do you think it is easier for males or females, or for younger or older people, to express different emotions? Which ones? Why?

Taken from http://www.burdtherapy.com, http://www.underthemaskonline.com And resources produced for the Times Educational Supplement by ausbantam