Emotion and Stress

Question 1

Theories of Emotion

1. James-Lange theory
2. Cannon-Bard theory
3. Two-Factor Theory
4. Cognitive-Appreaisal Theory

Answer 1

Ekman identified 6 basic emotions that are associated with the same facial expressions across cultures and believed to be innate and universal

1. fear
2. anger
3. happiness
4. disgust
5. surprise
6. sadness

Question 2

1. James-Lange Theory
2. Cannon-Bard Theory

Answer 2

James-Lange= peripheral factors and proposes that emotions represent perceptions of bodily reactions to sensory stimuli.

1. you are afraid because your knees are shaking and your heart is pounding.
2. research with quad/paraplegics less emotion after injury

Cannon-Bard= greater emphasis on the brain mechanisms that mediate emotion.

1. emotional and bodily reactions to stimuli occur simultaneously as a result of thalamic stimulation of the cortex and the peripheral nervous system.
2. research bodily reactions are fairly similar for all emotions and emotions do not just reflect differences in bodily arousal

Question 3

3. Two-Factor Theory

Answer 3

Two-Factor Theory = Schachter and Singer = subjective _emotional experienc_e as the consequence of combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation of that arousal and the environmental context.

1. famous epinephrine study; participants interpreted their unexplained arousal in terms of the behavior exhibited by a confederate who waited with them for the experiment to begin.

Question 4

4. Cognitive-Appraisal Theory

Lazarus

Answer 4

Lazarus’s Cognitive Appraisal Theory: reconciles physiological universals with individual differences by proposing that emotions are universal BUT there are differences in how wmotion-arousing events are interpreted or appraised.

1. Psychobiological Principle = if a person appraises his relationship to the environment in a particular way, then a specific emotion which is tied the appraisal follows ‘irrevocable loss is sadness’.
2. Thus two people give same cognitive appraisal will have same emotion regardless of the actual environmental event.
3. Two people give different appraisal will have different emotions for the same env. event.

• Primary Appraisal = person’s evaluation of a situation in regards to his own well-being! depends on person’s beliefs, values, and expectations. different assessment of neighborhoods!
• Secondary Appraisal = person’s evaluation of the resources (social support, material resources) he has to cope with a situation that has been identified as stressful. i know a black
• Re-appraisal = person monitors the situation and modifies his primary and/or secondary appraisals as necessary. blacks are cool.

Question 5

Brain Mechanisms of Emotion :

cerebral cortex

amygdala

hypothalamus

Answer 5

Papez: neural circuit that mediates the experience and expression of emotion.

hippocampus, mammillary bodies, thalamus, and cingulate gyrus. Now including, cerebral cortex, amygdala and hypothalamus.

1. Cerebral Cortex: Left Hemisphere: govern happiness and other positive emotions. Damage (especially left frontal lobe) produces catastrophic reactions such as severe depression, anxiety, aggression, and paranoia.
   
   1. Right Hemisphere: mediate sadness, fear, and other negative emotions and damage (right pariatal/temporal lobe) gives indifference, apathy, emotional lability or undue joking.
   2. Right is also dominant hemisphere of the recognition and expression of emotion. people generally show more intense emotions on the left side of the face!
2. Amygdala: attaching emotion to memory and evaluates incoming sensory input, determines its importance, and mediates emotional response.
   
   1. immediate fear when faced with cliff
   2. electic stim gives rage/fear
   3. lesions give flat affect.
3. Hypothalamus: ANS and pituitary gland, the hypothalamus is involved in the translation of emotions into physical responses (physical signs of fear/excitement).
   
   1. damage to certain areas gives rage, while damage to other areas causes uncontrollable laughter.