module 8

Question 1

Who is SM and what makes her case important in affective neuroscience?

Answer 1

A: SM is a woman with bilateral amygdala damage, resulting in an absence of fear to external threats, making her a key case in understanding the role of the amygdala in fear.

Question 2

What are the three components of an emotional response?

Answer 2

A:

Behavioural – muscle movements (e.g., facial expressions, defensive posture)

Autonomic – activation of the sympathetic nervous system for quick energy mobilization

Hormonal – release of hormones (e.g., adrenaline) to reinforce the autonomic response

Question 3

What structure integrates the behavioural, autonomic, and hormonal components of fear?

Answer 3

A: The amygdala integrates all three components of fear.

Question 4

Where is the amygdala located and what is its function?

Answer 4

A: Located in the temporal lobe, part of the limbic system, the amygdala is crucial for emotion processing, especially fear.

Question 5

What is the role of the lateral nucleus of the amygdala?

Answer 5

A: Receives sensory input and is involved in forming conditioned emotional responses.

Question 6

What does the basal nucleus of the amygdala do?

Answer 6

A: Sends information to the central nucleus and cortex, helping process emotional significance.

Question 7

What is the function of the central nucleus of the amygdala?

Answer 7

A: Produces fear responses (behavioural, autonomic, hormonal); lesions eliminate these responses.

Question 8

What happens when the central nucleus is stimulated or lesioned?

Answer 8

A: Stimulated: Produces fear-related responses
Lesioned: Abolishes fear responses

Question 9

What is a Conditioned Emotional Response (CER)?

Answer 9

A: When a neutral stimulus is paired with a threatening one, it eventually elicits a fear response via changes in the lateral nucleus.

Question 10

What role does the amygdala play in emotional memory?

Answer 10

A: It enhances memory for emotionally intense events; damage to the amygdala disrupts this.

Question 11

What is the function of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in emotion?

Answer 11

A:

Inhibits fear responses

Helps with courage and extinction of conditioned fear

Integrates environmental input and plans from frontal lobes

Sends output to influence behaviour and physiological states

Question 12

What does the vmPFC receive and send?

Answer 12

A: Receives: environmental and cognitive input
Sends: output to control behaviour and physiological response

Question 13

What did Nilli et al. (2010) discover about the vmPFC and fear regulation?

Answer 13

A: Using fMRI, Nilli et al. found that participants who were afraid of snakes but voluntarily brought a live snake closer showed increased vmPFC activation, suggesting the vmPFC plays a key role in overriding fear and enabling courageous behavior.

Question 14

What is the relationship between testosterone and aggression?

Answer 14

A: It’s a fine line. Testosterone can increase aggression in men with high dominance and low impulse control (Carré et al., 2016), but effects depend on context (Dreher et al., 2016).

Question 15

Does testosterone always increase aggression?

Answer 15

A: No. In some contexts, testosterone increases generosity. It appears to promote status-related behavior, not just aggression.

Question 16

How does serotonin affect aggression?

Answer 16

A: Serotonin inhibits aggression by influencing risk-taking behavior. Low serotonin is linked to higher aggression (Higley et al., 1996).

Question 17

What animal research supports serotonin’s role in aggression?

Answer 17

A: Monkeys with low serotonin (5-HIAA) showed more risk-taking and aggression (Higley et al., 1996).

Question 18

How might SSRIs influence aggression?

Answer 18

A: SSRIs increase serotonin levels, which can help reduce aggression and impulsive behavior by enhancing impulse control.

Question 19

What role does heredity play in aggression?

Answer 19

A: Genetics play a role. Monozygotic twins show more similar levels of antisocial behavior than dizygotic twins (Viding et al., 2008).

Question 20

Is there a single “aggression gene”?

Answer 20

A: No. Genes related to serotonin and dopamine systems may influence aggression, but findings are mixed (Zhang-James & Faraone, 2016).

Question 21

What is the vmPFC’s role in aggression and impulse control?

Answer 21

A: The vmPFC inhibits aggression and impulsive violence. Damage impairs emotional regulation and decision-making.

Question 22

How does vmPFC damage affect moral decision-making (e.g., trolley problem)?

Answer 22

A: People with vmPFC damage make more utilitarian choices, like pushing a man off a bridge to save five others (Koenigs et al., 2007).

Question 23

True or False – The vmPFC facilitates aggression and violence.

Answer 23

A: False. It inhibits emotional responses like aggression and violence.

Question 24

What did Darwin propose about emotional expressions?

Answer 24

A: That they are innate, unlearned responses evolved from animal behaviour.

Question 25

What evidence supports the innateness of emotional expressions?

Answer 25

A: Facial and vocal expressions are similar across cultures (Ekman, 1971; Sauter, 2010).

Question 26

Do people show stronger emotional expressions with an audience?

Answer 26

A: Yes – emotional displays increase with social presence (Kraut & Johnstone, 1979).

Question 27

Which brain structure is crucial for recognising fear in facial expressions?

Answer 27

A: The amygdala.

Question 28

What does damage to the amygdala impair?

Answer 28

A: Recognition of emotional facial expressions, especially fear.

Question 29

What does Meeren et al. (2005) show about body and facial emotion?

Answer 29

A: Incongruent body–face emotions impair facial emotion recognition.

Question 30

What role do mirror neurons play in emotion recognition?

Answer 30

A: They simulate or imitate observed emotions, aiding understanding.

Question 31

What is the Simulationist Hypothesis?

Answer 31

A: We simulate or imitate others' emotions, which helps us recognize them.

Question 32

Would Moebius syndrome affect emotion recognition? Why?

Answer 32

A: Yes. Lack of facial movement limits imitation, making recognition harder.

Question 33

What brain region is active in recognising emotion tone vs. word meaning?

Answer 33

A: The right hemisphere is more involved in tone/emotion recognition (George et al., 1996).

Question 34

What happens if someone has “pure word deafness”?

Answer 34

A: They can’t understand words, but can recognize tone/emotion (Heilman et al., 1983).

Question 35

What is volitional facial paresis?

Answer 35

A: Can’t move face voluntarily, but can show genuine emotion.

Question 36

What is emotional facial paresis?

Answer 36

A: Can move face voluntarily, but can’t express emotion on affected side

Question 37

Which hemisphere plays a greater role in emotion expression?

Answer 37

A: The right hemisphere – hence, the left side of the face is more expressive.

Question 38

Does amygdala damage impair facial emotion expression?

Answer 38

A: No – e.g., case study SP showed they could still express emotions.

Question 39

True or False – People with amygdala damage can’t produce facial expressions.

Answer 39

A: False – they can still produce realistic expressions.

Question 40

What does the James-Lange theory propose?

Answer 40

A: Emotions result from physiological reactions to events.

Question 41

What study supports James-Lange theory?

Answer 41

A: Hohman (1966) – higher spinal cord injury = weaker emotion.

Question 42

What is the Facial Feedback Theory?

Answer 42

A: Facial muscle movements influence emotions.

Question 43

What did Ekman et al. find about facial muscle movement?

Answer 43

A: Specific expressions changed heart rate and body temp (e.g., anger vs. fear vs. joy).

Question 44

What did Lewis & Bowler (2009) find about Botox and mood?

Answer 44

A: Botox in the frown muscles reduced negative mood.

Question 45

What did Wagenmakers et al. (2016) find about facial feedback theory?

Answer 45

A: Found no effect, but participants knew they were being observed – may have influenced results.