The curious relationship between numbers and feelings

There seems to be an intriguing association between feelings and numbers. Over the years, I have been witnessing several attempts to relate the two by various means, to varying degrees, leading to desired and sometimes not so pleasant outcomes.

This article could be a sequel to my earlier post some time ago on "Subjectivity...".  many questions pop up in my mind. How does one measure and quantify the extent or magnitude of a feeling? If we are feeling elated about an achievement, what is the true measure of that personal emotion? Can we associate a number with it? How does one calibrate the baseline and top-end of a feeling dimension?  Is it possible that someday in the not so distant future, a genius scientist designs some kind of a measurement device and plant it inside our brains, that will in some way be connected to an external display, which can accurately indicate the numerical index of the specific emotion? (We are living in an age where neuroscientists can measure neurotransmitters and other chemicals in the brain that increase or decrease in response to different emotional states. They can also measure the electrical activities in the brain in relation to emotions and feelings). I suspect that one day in the not-so-distant future, neuroscience combined with...(what else?)....information technology, will enable digital readouts and displays of human feelings and emotions in real-time on wearable devices, to the last decimal!

However, I am alluding to another perspective of my first question. There are  exercises that are administered to unsuspecting individuals that have questions trying to associate feelings with numbers. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you feel about......?" is a classic example. Another illustration, this time related to behaviors, is the famous "BARS" (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales) that attempt to relate performance-related behaviors to semi-quantitative scales. These are described sometimes on a frequency scale- for example : to a large extent, to a moderate extent, rarely, to very little extent and not at all. These scales also have a numerical gradation in many cases. Drilling down further into this issue, I am now interested in arriving at the most accurate number to match and reflect the intensity of my feeling in question, whenever I take up one of these exercises. Can the relationship between the extent of feeling and the number be....ah!...well....subjective?

Career decisions are made based on these associations between feelings and numbers. We experience this phenomenon in recruitment and performance management situations. The attempt to inject numbers into the game, ostensibly, could be to create the aura of "objectivity" and "measurability" into the system. The other issue is that feelings are dynamic; they change dramatically with time and sometimes within nanoseconds.

The converse association between the two is also interesting, and is absolutely rooted in relativity. How is a  number related to a positive or negative emotion? Company X made 15% profit. In relation to a competitor's profits, its performance is positive or negative. In absolute terms, the number may not mean anything significant. However, these numbers do evoke different feelings in individuals, especially in relative terms.

Is it remotely possible that we are fooling ourselves in our reluctance to face the reality that feelings are directly related to subjective outcomes, and camouflaging them with numbers could be an illusion? 

The point of my submission here is that these are my non-judgmental observations, more than opinion. I am constantly struggling to assign a number on a rating scale to how I feel in any given situation. When I have to make a decision or judgment, after considering all the available numbers, data and facts in a given situation, I do reserve the right to revert to the "feelings" dimension. The chioce has to "feel" right, or else it is not made. Objectivity is the enabler; subjectivity, the resulting action. That's perhaps the only remaining lingering perspective that leaves me feeling somewhat human.

How about you?