Adaptive Bases of Emotions Flashcards
Grief and Depression
1 characteristic – loss
Grief and depression are almost identical (except for suicidality)
#2 – failure (can be construed as loss) subtype of loss, specifically human
Functional – you might actually need to adjust self-assessment if you have failed that thing several times
Depression
Depression is usually results of chronic stressors
Usually failures – construal/appraisal
*appraisal could be accurate
There may be many different types of depression with different functionalities
Role of display in depression
More than any other emotion, depression is intensely displayed
Elicit support and sympathy, especially crying (best example of intense display)
Acquire resources
Sulking – aggressive
• aggression generally is trying to get others to change
Overt display, exaggerated – protects against experiencing it again
Role of mirror neurons – feelings are triggered
RESIGNATION
Term that emotion theorist use instead of hopelessness, much better descriptor is a can also be applied to behaviors (e.g. withdrawal)
Rats and Prozac
“Go with the flow”
Rats in pipes and water learn to float and travel with head and tail up
If they keep fighting against the stream they will eventually drown
At a certain point it makes sense to conserve resources, stop resisting, and let the water take them
Rats given Prozac are more likely to drown
• they’re more likely to keep fighting and not cut their losses and conserve resources
*Natural mode of turning toward resignation is impaired by drug
Depressive rumination
Preoccupied with loss, past oriented
Versus worry which is future oriented
It’s a type of problem solving
Status, Low Self-Esteem and Depression
Function of subordination
Status awareness may protect against attack from conspecific of higher status someone higher on the ladder
Primates on Prozac are more likely to get in conflicts
• function of low self-esteem impaired by drug
Cheating
Everyone cheats, we are adapted to look out for cheating behavior
Gossip is a method of detecting cheaters
Anger and Aggression
Not being treated fairly
Not getting what you deserve – resources
Aggression helps to gain resources and protect resources
*We are built to be able to engage in conflict over resources
Criticism is a form of verbal aggression – the intent is to change other’s behavior
*aggression—change other’s behavior
Guilt
Perception that a standard has been violated
Clinical – feeling guilty – feeling like done something wrong
Feel guilty, worry that others find out and shame you
Shame
OTHERS have detected failure to live up to ideal or moral imperative
Displaying shame increases forgiveness
Functionality of hopelessness
If nothing is going to change, if the situation is truly hopeless, then acquiring a solution from others is better than not at all
Stages of Death: Evol perspective
Denial: Most people died outside of the view of others – killed by other tribe, animal, fell, disappeared drowned etc.
When someone is missing, go into search mode
• Studies on Bears looking for their cubs
If you search indefinitely, you not be able to acquire resources or care for your children and therefore be eliminated from the gene pool
At some point the search has to stop and hopelessness sadness something to stop you from moving
Resignation – cut your losses
*habeas corpus
o why display the body at the funeral?
o how people say “I really couldn’t believe it until I saw him”
o the very fact that of body display suggests the need for confirmation
Emergence of Hostility as Depression abates
With males, when given medication, first symptom is hostility
Possibly the internal attributional style is eased to an extent and emotion is turned outward
10 Commandments–why so impressive and virtuous?
Each commandment can be viewed as an extension of behaviors that increase survival and inclusive fitness
If someone follows all 10 , we consider that person as virtuous and impressive
*They are successfully preventing themselves working in ways/engaging in behaviors that served a functional role
