Emotions also have great freedom with respect to goal-orientation, whereas drives as motives are quite specific.⁸...Emotions influence and regulate the drives by amplification or attenuation.⁹...Emotions differ from the physical feelings of pain and pleasure since they can be triggered by a much wider range of stimuli or events. Emotions can actually be triggered by pain and pleasure themselves.

Emotions also differ from the physical feelings in that their experience and expression are very much dependent upon learning, whereas physical feelings are much more innate.¹⁰...Emotions are also innate to the extent that they are an essential aspect of human nature. Virtually everyone experiences the same kinds of emotions regardless of the culture, and they are expressed in universally recognizable ways.¹¹

Both emotional and physical feelings, or drives, are produced by a neurochemical mechanism, and emotions represent a powerful extension of the guidance provided by pain and pleasure.¹²

The drives found in all organisms have been selected out through evolution because they resulted in survival-oriented behavior. Any drive that is counterproductive to survival will be erased through natural selection. Drives as well as emotions are an important part of the intelligence system and can tell matter (our bodies) to move in various directions as the matter-energy side of nature interfaces with intelligence. The purposiveness inherent in nature is largely manifested through the drive and emotions systems.

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