2- Basics of Emotion + Major Theories in Emotion Research

Question 1

What are emotions critical for?

Answer 1

Guiding our behaviour and our quality of life

Question 2

3 aspects of emotions

Answer 2

1. Cognitive
2. Bodily changes
3. Physiological and neural arousal

Question 3

Importance of emotional effects

Answer 3

Effects on our behaviour

Question 4

What suggests that physiological changes are more fundamental than cognition in the emotional experience?

Answer 4

Bodily changes often occur before the cognitive awareness

Question 5

What consequences does feeling a certain way?

Answer 5

Consequences for how we behave

Question 6

How is an emotional state triggered?

Answer 6

By rewarding or punishing stimuli that could be internal or external

Question 7

4 main characteristics of emotions

Answer 7

1. Attract attention
2. Transient
3. Produce bodily responses
4. Cause specific outward behavioural responses

Question 8

What does it mean that emotions are transient?

Answer 8

They are moment-to-moment things

Question 9

How are emotions different to mood?

Answer 9

Mood is where an emotional state becomes extended, whereas emotions are fleeting

Question 10

How are emotions and motivation linked?

Answer 10

Emotions are often associated with motivation to act in a certain way

Question 11

How are emotions goal directed?

Answer 11

They will change our behaviour- we seek out experiences in order to experience/not experience emotions

Question 12

Why do emotions guide our decisions?

Answer 12

They affect cognition

Question 13

6 key events in the history of emotion research

Answer 13

1. Phineas Gage
2. Darwin’s theory
3. James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories
4. Sham rage
5. Limbic system
6. Kluver-Bucy syndrome

Question 14

When did people become more interested in the biology of emotions?

Answer 14

The 20th century

Question 15

What did Darwin’s theory of evolution of emotion focus on?

Answer 15

Outward expression of emotion

Question 16

What 4 key factors of emotion does Darwin propose?

Answer 16

1. It is a product of evolution
2. It is innate
3. It has a practical functioning
4. It has a communicative function

Question 17

How is emotion a communicative function (Darwin)?

Answer 17

It enables an animal to interpret the emotion of another

Question 18

Why might the original physiological function of emotions be lost? (Darwin)

Answer 18

Emotional expression may have evolved to enhance communicative function

Question 19

What is the principle of antithesis? (Darwin)

Answer 19

Opposite messages are often signalled by opposite movements and postures

Question 20

What is the main criticism of Darwin’s theory?

Answer 20

He said nothing about physiological effects

Question 21

What was the James-Lange peripheral feedback theory?

Answer 21

Stimulus –> perception –> bodily arousal –> emotion

Question 22

What is the argument of the James-Lange theory?

Answer 22

Bodily response occurs before the actual emotional experience

Question 23

What is the idea of the James-Lange theory?

Answer 23

Perception of bodily changes produce the emotional experience

Question 24

What is the emotional experience? (James-Lange)

Answer 24

Our awareness of our bodily responses to emotion-arousing stimuli

Question 25

How is the James-Lange theory criticised?

Answer 25

Most evidence was from introspection and correlational research

Question 26

What was the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?

Answer 26

Stimulus –> perception –> emotion/bodily arousal

Question 27

What is the idea of the Cannon-Bard theory?

Answer 27

Stimulus perception creates a physiological reaction and emotional reaction at the same time

Question 28

What is the Cannon-Bard theory’s view on causation?

Answer 28

There is no causation, physical reaction isn’t dependent on emotional reaction and vice versa

Question 29

What 2 things does a spinal cord injury affect?

Answer 29

1. Generation of sympathetic nervous system responses
2. Sensory feedback of body state

Question 30

How do patients with spinal cord injuries report their emotions being affected?

Answer 30

Report less intense emotional experiences

Question 31

What did Hohmann’s research find?

Answer 31

A decline in intensities of anger and fear feelings in spinal cord injury patients

Question 32

What is pure autonomic failure?

Answer 32

A condition where organ activity continues but the nervous system no longer regulates it

Question 33

How is the emotional experience affected in pure autonomic failure?

Answer 33

Participants report less intense emotions

Question 34

What theory is supported in spinal cord injuries?

Answer 34

Supports James-Lange over Cannon-Bard theory

Question 35

What is shown by spinal cord injuries?

Answer 35

That bodily changes are critical for emotion

Question 36

Who came up with the ‘two-factor’ model of emotion?

Answer 36

Schachter and Singer

Question 37

What is the key idea of the ‘two-factor’ model of emotion?

Answer 37

Arousal is the same for a lot of emotions so physical arousal alone cannot explain range of emotions experience

Question 38

What is cognitive appraisal?

Answer 38

A cognitive ‘label’ is needed to make sense of the emotions we experience

Question 39

What is cognitive evaluation?

Answer 39

Assessing the situation and determining the appropriate emotion by environmental cues

Question 40

How is the degree of bodily arousal influenced?

Answer 40

By emotional intensity

Question 41

How was support provided for the ‘two-factor’ model?

Answer 41

Someone near us acting in a particular way will influence our cognitive appraisal

Question 42

What is the problem with the ‘two-factor’ model?

Answer 42

Evidence isn’t very good overall as attempts to replicate the study have failed

Question 43

What is the problem with early theories of emotions?

Answer 43

Doesn’t look at brain regions