11.4 - Emotion Flashcards
emotion
being a behaviour with the following three components
a) subjective thought and/ or experience
b) accompanying patterns of neural activity and physical arousal
c) an observable behavioural expression
critical brain area: amygdala
a group of nuclei in the medial portion (near the middle) of the temporal lobes in each hemisphere of the brain
- receives sensory input from the cortex
-fires when we receive arousing stimuli
-makes us more aware of the potential ‘danger’
the earliest scientific theory of emotions was independently developed by…
William james and carl lange
James Lange theory of emotion
this view suggested that our physiological reactions to stimuli: (racing heart) pro-code the emotional experience (the fear) [the feeling of fear is determined by how your body responds]
cannon-band theory of emotion
suggested that the brain interprets a stimulation and generates subjective emotional feelings, and that these representations in the brain trigger responses in the body (emotional process)
facial feedback theory
suggested that our emotional expressions can influence our subjective emotional states (ex: lips smiling- you are happy)
tero factor theory
holds that patterns of physical arousal and the cognitive labels we attach to them from the basis of our emotional experiences (cognitive label- “I am sad”)
the emotional cycle
stimulus > physical response perception > cognitive arousal > feeling of ‘fear’
ways to communicate emotions
facial expressions and body language
emotional dialects
variations across cultures in how common emotions are expressed (different facial reactions)
displays rules
refer to the un-written expectations we have regarding when it is appropriate to show certain emotions
interpretation of why these expressions are being displayed is very….
culture dependent
