EMOTION Flashcards
1
Q
what is an emotion
A
- affective states associated with simuli/situations that are rewarding or punishing & guide us how to behave > e.g. approach vs. avoidance
- feeling it now < transient nature
- bodily changes > arousal, expressions
- survival value: fear & threatening situations/stimuli> disgust & food poisoning etc
- In response to event & help deal w/ event
2
Q
what is a broad definition of emotion?
A
- set of psychological responses, action, tendencies & subjective feelings > adaptively engage humans & other animals to react to events o biological &/or individual significance
3
Q
how did Darwin explain emotion?
A
- described expression (outward manifestation of emotion) in human & animals
- 1872> emotion expressions are universal (all species)
- basic emotions = innate > displaying them = evolutionary advantageous
4
Q
what is Paul Ekman’s theory of emotion
A
- Darwin theory further explored > 20th century
- analysis of facial expression = 6 basic emotions (facial action units) < muscles move in relation to specific emotions
- expressions = innate > infants & blind show same expressions
- similar across cultures + societies w/ little contact to others
5
Q
what are the 6 basic emotions proposed Ekman?
A
- happy
- sad
- surprise
- disgust
- angry
- fear
6
Q
what is meant by emotions being innate & universal?
A
- congenitally blind ppl > have facial expressions similar to ones of sighted individuals = not imitated/learnt = innate
- Ekman asked ppl to label expressions of emotion from diff countries > ppl across diff countries able to recognise = universal BUT these countries > literate = could be using words everyone knew > tested pre-literate groups e.g. New Guinea = similar responses
- HOWEVER> jack et al 2012> showed 6 basic emotions to western caucasian vs eastern asians (china) = asians showed less distinction & more overlap between emotion categories = cultural interpretations of the 6 emotions
7
Q
what is meant by dimensions of emotions?
A
- view that there are to discrete emotions/ categories
- reaction to events vary along continuous dimensions e.g. as valence (neg-positive) & degree of arousal (low-high) = basic emotions (categories) are just word interpretations & physiological responses in brain is actually varying between these dimension
8
Q
Can there be categories and dimensions of emotions?
A
- Cowan & Keltner (2017) = 27 distinct categories bridged by continuous gradients > show categories of emotion w/ dimensions of them > anxiety/fear/ disgust join together = bridges between categories + can be confused w/ each other
9
Q
how are emotions generated?
A
- three stages:
- perception/ evaluation of input
- experience of feeling
- behavioural &/or physiological expression of emotion
- occurrence/how stages occur debated
10
Q
what is the James-lange theory of how emotions are generated?
A
- physiological responses in response to event & feelings are interpretation of these
- emotions = feelings of bodily changed in response to event/ situation = bodily changed follow directly the perception of event > then feeling in response is emotion
- emotion not experienced directly from emotive event but from detection of body response to event
- emotive stimulus > physiological reaction > feeling emotion
11
Q
what is the Cannon-Bard theory of how emotions are generated?
A
- opposes James-lange theory
- no physiological responses that are specific to each emotion > i.e. if stomach is feeling funny = could be disgust/ happiness/ fear etc
- multiple diff interpretations of same physiological responses
- need to interpret signal > our brain leads us to feel which emotion it is = generalised physiological responses rather than specific
- experience of emotions & physiological sensations occur simultaneously
12
Q
what did Lisa Feldman- Barrett say about generations of emotion?
A
- emotions don’t exist w/o cognitive appraisal
- theory of constructed emotion = brains receive data about persons own body + environment (through senses) > & infer causes of these states = brain constructs inferences abt causes of these sensations
- inferences > learned throughout life > past experiences
- emotions are constructed
13
Q
what are physiological responses?
A
- depend of peripheral nervous system = somatic nervous system & the autonomic nervous system
- autonomic nervous system:
- sympathetic: prepares us for action > increased heart rate, pupil dilation & sweating
- parasympathetic: returns body to rest > heart rate slows, pupils contract & sweating stops
14
Q
how are emotions related to the brain?
A
- Emotions > closely tied to brain’s limbic system, inc > amygdala, hippocampus, & hypothalamus
- prefrontal cortex regulates emotional responses & decision-making
- The insula integrates emotional & sensory info
15
Q
what is the limbic system?
A
- Limbic System> inc > structures like amygdala, hippocampus, & hypothalamus = emotional processing, memory, & regulation of physiological responses.
- Amygdala > processing of emotions, particularly fear & the recognition of emotional stimuli.
- Hippocampus > formation & retrieval of memories, inc > emotional memories.
- Hypothalamus > Regulates physiological responses associated w/ emotions, e.g. release of hormones.
16
Q
what is the Amygdala?
A
- located within temporal lobe of brain, on either side
- processing of emotions > recognition of fear & other emotionally salient stimuli
- role in formation & storage of emotional memories > contributing to emotional significance of events.
- ## patient SM: lesions in amygdala > she didn’t perceive fear from facial expressions but was fine with other expressions > found she couldn’t experience fear through fear conditioning stimulus
