Different Emotions Flashcards
(12 cards)
Outline the ‘Big 5’ emotions proposed by basic emotion researchers?
Anger; fear; disgust; happiness; sadness.
Which two approaches attempt to classify and explain the huge variety of different emotions that humans typically report?
Basic emotions and a dimensional view.
Name a major ‘basic emotions’ theorist?
Ekman, 1969, 1999.
Name the major theorists of the ‘dimensional view’?
Ortony & Turner, 1990.
Brief overview of basic emotions approach?
Assumes that a small number of discrete emotions (the most fundamental ones) underlie the richness of emotion experience. Different combinations of ‘basic emotions’ can produce all the other emotions (e.g. a mixture of joy and acceptance produces friendliness).
Challenges for ‘basic emotions’ approach?
To provide evidence for a small number of discrete emotion states and to decide how many emotions should be called basic and which ones they are.
Evidence for ‘basic emotions’?
Cross-cultural studies support ‘the big 5’ in production and recognition of emotions. Ekman (1969, 1999) New Guinea/ USA study. Infant studies (across cultures) also demonstrate that these emotion characteristics are largely genetic rather than learned. Spontaneous facial expressions of blind children also support the idea of basic emotions and biological basis rather than social origin. Other research also supports the notion of basic emotions and that such emotions arise from sub cortical brain mechanisms going far back to our evolutionary past. Verbal labels too (across cultures and languages).
How do verbal labels support or correspond with the ‘basic emotions’ approach?
Similar verbal labels are used across widely differing languages and cultures. Scherer et al (1994) compared verbal labels for emotions in 37 countries and translated the English terms for the 7 emotions studied (anger; fear; joy; sadness; disgust; shame and guilt) into each of the other languages.
How do different languages and cultures differ in the number and categorisation of their emotion terms?
The range of situations that trigger emotions and the variance in how different emotions are either elaborated or downgraded in emphasis. Universals such as loss of a loved one leading to sadness/ attack leading to fear or anger. But a multitude of cultural specifics such as whether looking directly at a woman’s face evokes polite interaction, flattery or insult! There are cross cultural differences in the number and type of complex emotions; the triggers for many emotions and the socially acceptable rules for displaying emotions in certain contexts.
Outline the dimensional approach?
Ortony & Turner (1990) argued that if basic emotions are so ‘basic’ why is there so much disagreement about which emotions count as basic. What about desire or interest? This approach assumes 2 (or 3) dimensions (affect grid). Two dimensions - valence (positive or negative) and level of arousal. Dominance has also been proposed as a third dimension.
Strengths of the dimensional approach?
Circumvents some of the problems associated with the basic emotions theory. It suggests how different emotions relate to one another and makes it easy to understand how different languages could have developed different words to describe subtly different mixes of emotion experience.
Challenges for the dimensional approach?
Some emotions (nostalgia or extreme sports) combine attributes which the dimensional model would place at opposite ends of a single continuum. Furthermore, it is still necessary to determine the dimensions, how many should be used, and to decide how these relate (if at all) to the evidence suggesting the existence of basic emotions.
