Emotion Flashcards
What is emotion?
its a state of mind, or feeling, that is subjectively experienced based on circumstances, mood, and relationships
what are the three components of emotion?
cognitive (subjective)
behavioral (facial expressions and body language)
physiological (changes in the sympathetic NS)
what are the 7 universal emotions
happiness sadness contempt surprise fear disgust anger
what are the 3 theories of emotion, which are based on the interactions of the three components of emotion?
James-Lange theory
Cannon-Bard theory
Schachter-Singer theory
James-Lange theory
according to this theory, a stimulus results first in physiological arousal, which leads to a secondary response in which the emotion is labeled. James believe that when peripheral organs receive info and respond, that response is then labeled as an emotion by the brain.
EG: a car cutting you off the highway is a stiumulus for elevated heart rate of blood pressure, increased skin temp, and dry mouth. these physio responses result in the cognitive labeling of anger: i must be angry cuz my skin is hot and my BP is high.
By extension, an emotion would not be processed without feedback from the peripheral organs; this theory predicts that indivs who cannot mount a sympathetic response, like patients with spinal cord injuries, whould show decreased levels of emotion. studies have proven this claim to be false; spinal cord injury subjects continue to show the same level of emotion after their injuries as before.
Cannon-Bard theory
this theory states that the cognitive and physiological components of emotion occur simultaneously and result in the behavioral component of emotion, or action: i am afraid because i see a snake and my heart is racing…let me out of here!
flaws: failts to explain the vagus nerve, a cranial nerve that functions as a feedback system, conveying information from the peripheral organs back to the CNS
Schachter-Singer theory
aka the cognitive arousal theory or the two-factor theory.
it states that both arousal and the labeling of arousal based on environment must occur in order for an emotion to be experienced: i am excited becuase my heart is racing and everyone else is happy.
uniqueness of this theory: is this aspect of cognitive appraisal: to feel an emotion, one must consciously analyze the environment in relation to nervous system arousal.
*the presence of unexpected arousal plus an environment that encourages a particular emotion is sufficient to create that emotion in the subject.
theories of emotion responses: first and second
JL - NS arousal - Conscious emotion
CB - NS arousal and Conscious emotion - Action
SS - NS arousal and Cognitive appraisal - conscious emotion
The limbic system
this is the primary NS component involved in experiencing emotion
the amygdala
is involved with attention and fear, helps interpret facial expressions, and is part of the intrinsic memory system for emotional memory
the thalamus
is a sensory processing station
the hypothalamus
releases neurotransmitters that affect mood and arousal
the hippocampus
creates long-term explicit (episodic) memories
the prefrontal cortex
is involved with planning, expressing personality, and making decisions.
the ventral prefrontal cortex is critical for experiencing emotion; the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, specifically, is involved in controlling emotional responses from the amygdala and decision-making
