emotion, stress and the brain notes

Question 1

affect

Answer 1

hedonic tone of an emotional state (positive/ negative dichtomy)

Question 2

mood

Answer 2

prevailing state that lasts longer than emotional state - less intense

Question 3

feeling

Answer 3

subjetive experience that accompanies an emotion

Question 4

Eplain the James Lang theory

Answer 4

activating Event -> psysiological reaction -> emotional response

e.g. dog barking -> increased Heart rate, sweating -> fear/anxiety

According to this theory, physical changes in the body happen first, which then leads to the experience of emotion

Question 5

Explain the Cannon Bard Theory

Answer 5

It states that stimulating events trigger feelings and physical reactions that occur at the same time2.

Question 6

Lang vs Cannon

Answer 6

The Cannon-Bard theory proposes that emotions and arousal occur at the same time. The James-Lange theory proposes the emotion is the result of arousal.

Question 7

What parts of the brain are associated with emotion?

Answer 7

Amygdala – gateway to fear (and other things)
 Lesions disrupt fear responses

Question 8

Define stress and what are the 2 systems that stress activates

Answer 8

Refers to reactions to adverse
stimuli that disturb the organism’s homoeostasis
as well as to the stimuli

stress activates :
1: The sympathetic nervous system: prepares the body for brief fight-or-flight emergency responses.
2: The HPA axis: the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex. This system releases epinephrine, cortisol, and aldosterone in response to stress

Question 9

Explain Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome

Describe each of the three stages of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Answer 9

the physiological changes that occur in your body as it responds to stress.
1: alarm reaction = fight or flight (increased HR, rapdi breathing, flushed skin)
2: resistance phase = your body recovers

prolonged stress that is not resolved leades to :
3: exhaustion - burnout, fatigue ect

Question 10

Describe the effects of stress on the immune system

Answer 10

Substantial effect on functional parameters;
effect on enumerative parameters less secure

Objective stressful events have larger effect
than subjective stressful events
 Duration of stress:
 short: increase activity
 long: decrease activity; seems stable

Question 11

List the six basic emotions that were found by Ekman and Friesen (1971) to have universal expressions

How can you distinguish fake expressions from true ones?

Answer 11

fear, anger, sadness,
happiness, disgust, surprise

Question 12

define fear

Answer 12

Fear is the emotional reaction to threat

NMDA antagonists reduce fear learning
 NMDA agonists enhance fear learning

Question 13

What is the difference between defensive and aggressive behaviours?

Answer 13

defensive behaviours primary function is to protect the organism from threat or harm

aggresive behaviours primary function is to threaten or harm

Question 14

What are the categories of defensive and aggressive behaviours (found in studies of rats. Table 17.2 in your textbook

Answer 14

Aggressive behaviours:
1: predatory aggression: the stalking and killing of members of other species for the purpose of eating them
2: social aggression: unprovoked aggressive behaviour that is directed at a conspecific (member of the same species) for the purpose of establishing, altering or maintaining social hierachy

defensive behaviour:
1: intraspecific defence: defence against social aggression
2: defensive attacks: attacks launched when animals are cornered by threatning members
3: freezing and flight: many animals used to avoi attack.
4: maternal defensive behaviours: the behaviour by which mothers protect their young
5: risk assessment: behaviorus that are performed by animals in order to otain specific info that helps them defend themselvces better.

Question 15

Describe the relation between aggression and testosterone levels in males

Answer 15

testosterone increases social aggression in males of many species.

the relationship is difficult to interpret because engaging in aggressive activity itself can increase testosterone levels e.g. playing with a gun increased the testosterone levels of male college students
- aggressive behaviour does not increase at ppuberty as testosterone levels in the blood increase; aggressive is not eliminated by castration and it is not increased by testosterone injections that elevate blood levels of testosterone