Chapter 10: emotion and social cognition

Question 1

Cannon-Bard theory

Answer 1

Bodily sensations and feelings arise simultaneously. A physiological response is experienced as a feeling through a cognitive process of interpretation of stimuli.

Question 2

LeDoux’s low and high road

Answer 2

Emotional processing can go through 2 route:
1. The low road: unconscious, quick and subcortically. Goes form the thalamus directly to the amygdala (fight/flight).
2. The high road: slow and conscious. Goes from the thalamus, to the cortical areas and to the amygdala.

Question 3

Somatic marker theory

Answer 3

Changes in the body determine future decision-making. When something happens your body has a certain reaction and you learn from it, and that has an impact on how you will react to it in the future. When the bodily sensation is experienced again, you will know the emotions that fits with it.

Question 4

Theory of mind

Answer 4

Understanding the difference between one’s own mental state and that from anothers through a cognitive relational process. This allows us to infer and predict thought and intention of others.

The Sally-Anne test is used to measure theory of mind in kids, most kids fail this before the age of 4.

Question 5

First-order beliefd

Answer 5

Estimating what another person is thinking about.

Question 6

Second-order beliefd

Answer 6

Estimating what another person is thinking about a third party.

Question 7

Emotion regulation

Answer 7

The ability to influence the emergence and occurrence, but also the duration and intensity of an emotion.
This process: situation –> attention –> cognitive reappraisal –> response.

Question 8

Socio-cognitive integration of abilities (SOCIAL model)

Answer 8

There are 3 different social processes:
1. Attentional processes and executive functions: to perceive socially relevant information and adjust emotions and behaviour.
2. Communication skills: for social interaction.
3. Socio-emotional functions: for interpretation.

Question 9

Amygdala

Answer 9

Plays a central role in processing and regulating emotions. It screens information for social and affective relevance (like emotion expression and gaze direction).

Question 10

Fusiform gyrus

Answer 10

Located in the occipital lobe and includes the fusiform face area.

Question 11

Insula

Answer 11

Involved in perceiving and modulating the bodily sensations and subjective experiences associated with emotions. It involves anger, disgust and empathy.

Question 12

Superior temporalis sulcus

Answer 12

Involves in perceiving biological motion related to activity, processing facial expressions, gaze direction and goal-directed movements.

Question 13

Temporo-parietal junction

Answer 13

Involved in the ability to understand intentions, emotions and wishes of others (theory of mind).

Question 14

Prefrontal cortex

Answer 14

Plays a key role in regulating emotions. The orbitofrontal cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex are involved in making complex decisions. The medial prefrontal areas are involved in thinking about the self (default mode network).

Question 15

Cerebellum

Answer 15

Lesions to the cerebellum are associated with impairments in cogntition and emotional processes, like recognizing and regulation emotions. Mentalizing is also associated with the cerebellum.

Question 16

Alexithymia

Answer 16

Having problems in experiencing but also recognizing and expressing one’s own emotions.