The Regulation Of Emotions In The Movie 'Inside Out'

The Disney Pixar movie, Inside out, allows the audience to experience the emotions of Riley, and her parents as they move across the country. The movie had many themes, but the majority of the movie was centered on emotions, memory, and the events that place in the mind in order to keep it in tip top shape. In particular I would like to discuss the unreliability of autobiographical memories, the regulation of emotions, and “the islands of personality”. Throughout the whole movie Joy’s whole purpose was to keep Riley happy and protect the autobiographical memories. These “core memories” as they were called in the movie, helped shape into who she was by memorizing the major events in her development. In order for her to possess autobiographical

296). This is illustrated at the end of movie when Riley uses sadness to finally explain to her parents the feelings she’d experienced since moving to the new city. In the movie five out of the six basic emotions where present in Riley and her two parents. Contrary to what the movie depicted, by this time in both Riley and her parents development, they should not only have the basic emotions but they should also possess complex emotions such as shame, guilt, and embarrassment (Emerging Emotions, 297). Furthermore, I don’t think that the emotions should have directly influenced Riley in the manner the movie portrayed. I believe that children have choices and decisions to make based in part but not totally on their emotions. Once Joy and sadness got stuck outside of headquarters, it was clear that Riley lacked emotional control. For example, when “anger” became mad because Riley’s ex- best friend found another friend, Riley immediately became livid and as a result acted out of character. At Riley’s age she should possess the mental capabilities necessary to successfully regulate her emotions (Emerging Emotions, pg. 303). She has to learn that every time she experiences something she doesn’t enjoy, or feels abandoned she doesn’t have to fly off the handle. Instead she should exercise her language skills to effectively communicate to her parents that she doesn’t enjoy the new environment and wants to go home. Because she didn’t regulate her emotions in a positive way this affected her friendships, her attachment to her parents, and even caused her to run