emotion- exam 3 Flashcards
James-Lange Theory
Emotion arises from physiological arousal.
The sequence: Event → physiological arousal → emotion.
Example:
Seeing a bear → Heart races → Feel fear.
Cannon-Bard Theory
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.
Two factor theory (Schachter-Singer)
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.
Sympathetic nervous system
Activates the “fight or flight” response, increasing heart rate, respiration, and hormonal secretions during stress or strong emotions.
Parasympathetic nervous system
Restores calm by reducing heart rate, slowing breathing, and halting stress responses after the “fight or flight” phase.
Role of amygdala in emotion
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.
two pathways of emotion
Zajonc’s pathways:
Low road: Fast, automatic emotional response via the amygdala (no cognitive processing).
High road: Slower response involving cognitive evaluation before emotional reaction.
LeDoux’s pathways:
Low road: Rapid, direct route from thalamus to amygdala for quick emotional reactions (e.g., fear).
High road: Slower route through the cortex for detailed evaluation before emotional response.
Zajon vs. LeDoux
LeDoux: Focuses on fear. The low road (thalamus to amygdala) enables fast reactions to threats, while the high road involves conscious processing through the cortex before emotional response.
Zajonc: Emphasizes that emotions can occur without cognitive processing. The low road triggers automatic emotional responses (amygdala), and the high road involves more deliberate thought, but emotions may occur before or without cognitive appraisal.
How do polygraphs work?
Measure autonomic nervous system activity, such as galvanic skin response, pulse, breathing, and fidgeting.
They compare responses to control and relevant questions.
Are polygraphs accurate and reliable?
No.
False positives: 1/3 of innocent people declared guilty.
False negatives: 1/4 of guilty people declared innocent (Kleinmuntz & Szucko, 1984).
Elkman’s theory of facial expression
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.
Facial feedback hypothesis
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.
Guilty knowledge test
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.
Missatribution
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.
Adaption level phenomenon
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.
