emotion- exam 3

Question 1

James-Lange Theory

Answer 1

Emotion arises from physiological arousal.
The sequence: Event → physiological arousal → emotion.
Example:
Seeing a bear → Heart races → Feel fear.

Question 1

Cannon-Bard Theory

Answer 1

Emotion and physiological response occur simultaneously but independently.
The brain’s thalamus sends signals to the body (arousal) and cortex (emotion) at the same time.
Example:
Seeing a bear → Simultaneous racing heart and feeling of fear.

Question 2

Two factor theory (Schachter-Singer)

Answer 2

Emotion is determined by two factors:
Physiological arousal (e.g., increased heart rate, sweating).
Cognitive label (interpreting the arousal based on the situation).
Emotion arises from interpreting the cause of arousal.

Schachter & Singer Study (1962)
Subjects injected with adrenaline (informed, uninformed, placebo).
Confederate behaved either euphorically or angrily.
Uninformed subjects mirrored the confederate’s emotion, demonstrating that context and cognition shape feelings.

Question 3

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer 3

Activates the “fight or flight” response, increasing heart rate, respiration, and hormonal secretions during stress or strong emotions.

Question 4

Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 4

Restores calm by reducing heart rate, slowing breathing, and halting stress responses after the “fight or flight” phase.

Question 5

Role of amygdala in emotion

Answer 5

The brain’s “fear mechanism.”
Generates emotional responses like fear and anger.
Controls hormonal secretions and autonomic reactions.
Damage leads to an inability to recognize fear in faces.

Question 6

Two pathways for emotion (Zajonc, LeDoux)

Answer 6

Low road: Quick, reflexive emotional processing via the amygdala, bypassing the cortex.
High road: Slower, detailed processing via the cortex for conscious appraisal of emotion.

Question 7

How do polygraphs work?

Answer 7

Measure autonomic nervous system activity, such as galvanic skin response, pulse, breathing, and fidgeting.
They compare responses to control and relevant questions.

Question 8

Are polygraphs accurate and reliable?

Answer 8

No.

False positives: 1/3 of innocent people declared guilty.
False negatives: 1/4 of guilty people declared innocent (Kleinmuntz & Szucko, 1984).

Question 9

Elkman’s theory of facial expression

Answer 9

Six universal emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust) are tied to unique facial expressions.
Supported by cross-cultural studies, including isolated cultures like the South Fore in New Guinea.
Infants show these expressions from birth.

Question 10

Facial feedback hypothesis

Answer 10

Facial expressions contribute to emotional feelings, e.g., smiling can make you feel happier. This was confirmed in studies showing self-reported changes in happiness or anger based on expressions.

Question 11

Guilty knowledge test

Answer 11

Measures reactions to specific details only a guilty person would recognize (e.g., showing a stolen Rolex watch among other watches).
Harder to cheat and more reliable than standard polygraph tests.

Question 12

Missatribution

Answer 12

Mistaking the source of physiological arousal for something else.

Example: In Dutton & Aron’s bridge study, men on a scary bridge attributed arousal (from fear) to romantic attraction.

Question 13

Adaption level phenomenon

Answer 13

People adapt to changes (e.g., wealth, life events), and happiness returns to a baseline level.
Positive or negative effects of events (like marriage or hospitalization) typically last about three months.

Question 14

Relative deprivation/social comparison

Answer 14

Feeling less satisfied by comparing yourself to others who appear better off.

Question 15

Stress

Answer 15

A physiological and psychological response to threatening or challenging conditions.

Question 16

Types of stressors (micro, major, catastrophic)

Answer 16

Catastrophic stressors: Plane crashes, earthquakes, etc.
Major life events: Death of a loved one, divorce, or moving.
Microstressors: Daily hassles like arguments or financial worries.

Question 17

Social readjustment rating scale

Answer 17

A scale measuring stress from life events.
High scores (300+ stress units) are linked to a higher likelihood of illness and poor academic performance (Demeuse, 1985).

Question 18

General adaptation syndrome

Answer 18

Alarm: The body mobilizes resources (e.g., adrenaline, increased heart rate).
Resistance: Stress resistance peaks while dealing with the challenge.
Exhaustion: Prolonged stress depletes resources, reducing resistance and leading to illness.

Question 19

Type A vs type B personality

Answer 19

Type A: Competitive, impatient, hostile; more prone to coronary heart disease (Friedman & Rosenhan, 1959).
Type B: Relaxed, easygoing, and less at risk.

Question 20

Effects of stress on illness

Answer 20

Prolonged stress impairs immune function, making illness more likely (Cohen et al.).
Stressed rats injected with cancer cells showed higher cancer rates than non-stressed rats.

Question 21

Uplifts

Answer 21

Positive events that counteract stress (e.g., completing tasks, spending time with loved ones, or laughing).

Question 22

Benefits of relaxation, exercise, optimism

Answer 22

What are the benefits of relaxation?
Heart attack patients who practiced relaxation had 50% fewer recurrences after three years.
Promotes calm and reduces stress.

How does exercise help with stress?
Improves heart efficiency.
Raises energy levels.
Increases resistance to fatigue and improves mood.

How does optimism reduce stress?
Optimistic individuals are healthier, live longer, and are more resilient to stress.