Emotion

Question 1

Definition of Emotion

Answer 1

positive or negative feelings produced by a situation

Question 2

6 main emotions

Answer 2

Anger, Fear, Disgust, Surprise, Happiness, Sadness

Question 3

James-Lange theory (1884)

Answer 3

Stimulus perceived -> bodily response -> Interpretation as emotion
contrasts with common sense model (Stimulus perceived -> Interpretation as emotion -> bodily response)

Question 4

Problem with the James-Lange theory

Answer 4

suggests that without bodily changes there is no emotion

How do people with spinal chord injury for example feel emotions?

Question 5

Cannon-Bard theory (1927)

Answer 5

Stimulus perceived -> 1) bodily response, and 2) Interpretation as emotion from context

Question 6

Cognitive theory

Answer 6

Stimulus perceived -> immediate response from thalamus sent to the limbic system and the cortex (bodily response and interpretation as emotion) and continuous reinforcement of the cortex

Question 7

Limbic system

Answer 7

existence noted by Broca:

consists of amygdala, hippocampus and cingulate cortex

Question 8

Amygdala

Answer 8

located in the pole of the temporal lobe at the end of the fornix
divided into 3 groups of nuclei:
1) central nucleus
2) basal nuclei
3) lateral nuclei

Question 9

Processing of the amygdala

Answer 9

1) Receives direct connection from sense cortices
2) Lateral nucleus
3) basal nucleus
4) central nucleus
5) Directs to the hypothalamus

Question 10

Effect of bilateral amygdalar lesion

Answer 10

1) decreases fear experience
2) effects aggression and memory
3) people have difficulties judging trustworthiness of people in images
4) people with lesions avoid eye contact - they can recognise the emotion better when being instructed to focus on the eyes

Question 11

Result of lateral nuclei stimulation

Answer 11

fear and aggression response

Question 12

Case SM (bilateral amygdalar lesion)

Answer 12

1) unable to recognise certain emotions in pictures (fear and anger)
2) rarely exhibits fear

Question 13

Case SP (bilateral amygdalar lesion)

Answer 13

1) able to identify emotions related to sentences
2) able to express emotions if prompted
3) difficulty recongising fear and anger in pictures

Question 14

Function of fear conditioning

Answer 14

protection from danger

Question 15

Effect of central nuclei lesion

Answer 15

removes the ability of fear conditioning (related to memory)

Question 16

Lesions in the lateral hypothalamus…

Answer 16

interferes with physiological response but fearful behaviour is still exhibited

Question 17

Lesions of the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG)…

Answer 17

interferes with fearful behaviour but a physiological response is still recorded