Appraisal

Question 1

Zajonc’s view on appraisal

Answer 1

Primacy of affect;

Affective and cognitive processes are coordinated by separate systems and can operate independently

Question 2

Lazarus’s view on appraisal

Answer 2

Primacy of cognition

An emotion cannot be produced wo a prior cognitive appraisal

Question 3

Primacy of affect support (Zajonc)

Answer 3

Le Doux’ low road, direct route without necessarily conscious appraisal

Mere exposure effect:
Repeated exposure to stimuli can elicit emotional responses wo conscious appraisal, tendency to develop preference for things you’re exposed to frequently (familiarity increases liking)

Question 4

Support for primacy of cognition (Lazarus)

Answer 4

Mere exposure can be explained as a form of appraisal of valence (good/bad) which is cognitive

Lazarus’ experiment, circumcision video with soundtrack minimizing the negative impact or no soundtrack at all
;. Appraisal determined the emotional response. More negative when the video was appraised negatively

Question 5

Arnold; appraisal theory

Answer 5

Appraisal is not conscious judgement but a fast, rough evaluation. A relational judgement.

The resulting emotion = felt tendency toward positively appraised events or away from negative appraised, accompanied by drive-inducing physiological changes.

So not cognitive but implicit. Mechanism for behavioural flexibility