Emotion Flashcards
(19 cards)
Define emotion in biopsychological terms
Emotions are the combination of feeling, cognition and action , with action being stimulated by the autonomic nervous system.
According to James-Lange theory , how does emotion cause action?
Stimulus => appraisal => run away => fear
Rapid appraisal of the situation leads to action.
Provide evidence of James-Lange Theory
- People with paralysis still report having emotions however people with autonomic failure for example no regulation of heart beat, report having less intense emotions
- Induced smiling, frowning increases reported emotion (facial feedback hypothesis)
There is feedback between physiology and felt emotion
What did Panskepp suggest about the location of emotion systems ?
Emotion systems are sub-cortical (located beneath the cortex) and ancient, shared with other animals. He identified seven core emotional systems - seeking, rage, fear, lust, care, grief/panic and play. Emotions are biologically ingrained.
What kind of variability is found in cortical activation (PET, fMRI) in relation to emotions ?
Huge variability bur disgust seems to have a clearer cortical basis in the Insula cortex (primary taste cortex)
What did Gary (1970) suggest about brain lateralisation for emotion?
LH - Behavioural activation system
RH - Behavioural Inhibition System
What is the LH dominant in for emotional processing?
- low-moderate autonomic arousal
- approach
left frontal and temporal lobes
What is the RH dominant in for emotional processing?
- increased attention and arousal
- inhibited action (disgust, fear)
- right frontal and temporal lobes
Cite evidence for the idea that the right hemisphere is more responsive to emotional stimuli
Patients undergoing Wada procedure (anaesthesia to one side of the brain) had their right hemisphere , they could remember significant events but denied having any emotion towards them e.g car crash, loved one dying.
Explain how emotions can function to aid survival . Gambling task.
The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) tests decision-making using emotion. Players pick cards from four decks — two risky with big rewards but bigger losses, and two safer with smaller but steady gains.
Over time, players develop a gut feeling that helps them choose the safer decks, even before they consciously notice the pattern. This emotional guidance is controlled by the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
List some long term benefits of positive emotion (Fredrickson, 2001)
Psychological development
social bonding
health
List some immediate benefits of positive emotion
regulating interactions (continue speaking)
Also beyond positive interactions - mocking, submissive smile
Explain the Principle of maximum parsimony in regard to positive expressions
Evolution has conserved hard wired traits rather than abolished and rebuilt them. So an explanation on evolutionary pathways has the least number of predicted evolutionary changes . Therefore , laughter most likely emerged from pre-existing traits .
Explain van Hooff’s (1968) Emancipation Hypothesis
Human smiles emerged from submissive ape expressions that crossed contexts and
converged with laughter, emancipating then in function.
Explain the complexity and continuity hypothesis for how human smiles emerged
Human smiles emerged from submissive ape expressions that crossed contexts and
converged with laughter, emancipating then in function
Explain evidence that suggests a genetic contribution to violence
Monozygotic twins resemble each other more than dizygotic twins in violent/ criminal behaviour
Which brain areas are associated with aggression ?
There is no specific brain area however hypothalamus stimulation can induce aggressive attacks. (intermittent explosive disorder)
Explain a potential link between serotonin and aggression - give an example of research
Aggressive behaviour may be linked to low serotonin release but research is mainly based on correlations . For example isolated male mice have increase aggressive behaviour and decreased serotonin turnover.
